After that Night
by Dyna63
Summary: Hannah has left. Booth took his anger at women out on Bones. What happens when she can't be the punching bag anymore?
1. Chapter 1

After that night, the night Hannah broke his heart, him and Brennan only saw each other for cases. Once the case was completed, they went their separate ways. Brennan only went out in the field for the first month after Hannah left and then being with Booth became unbearable. He took all his anger towards women out on her, maybe punishing her for rejecting him and then confessing her feelings to him. She had tried once to call him, just to check on him, but he had made it clear he didn't want to talk to her.

It had been weeks since that call, but now there he was sitting at a table, not far from the bar. She smiled in his direction, but there was no reaction. Maybe he hadn't seen her. She walked up to the bar ordered a beer and turned back towards him, this time he saw her and she walked over. "Hi Booth."

"What do you want?" he huffed out

She was caught by surprised, she hadn't expected this reaction. "I just was saying Hi." She diverted her eyes while she turned back to the bar to get her beer and his voice stopped her.

"What you don't talk to me in how many weeks and then you waltz in here and say Hi and expect me to be happy to see you?"

Shock sweep across her face, as she turned back to him. "I tried to call you…you didn't want to talk to me. You..you haven't tried to contact me, so I was giving you time…and space."

Booth just turned his back on her not saying another word. She walked up to the bar and paid for the beer she never intended on drinking now. She looked at his back and left.

Booth sat there and chided himself for acting that way towards her, she was right. He needed to apologize, but when he turned he didn't see her. His eyes went directly to the untouched beer sitting on the bar. His eyes searched the small pub for any sign of her, he knew she wasn't in the ladies room; she would have had to walk past him to get there. As his eyes came back to the beer, the bartender picked it up and poured it out. _Tomorrow, I will talk to her tomorrow_ he thought as he finished his drink and headed home.

* * *

><p>The next Day Brennan was at her office early. She was done; she was going to ask Cam if Sully was willing to work with her. If not she was done working with the FBI and if they didn't like those terms she was ready to quit, she already wrote up her resignation. One thing she did know was after last night working with Booth was no longer an option.<p>

When Cam came in Brennan headed straight to her office.

"Morning Dr. Brennan, Cam said cheerfully as she turned around and came face to face not with Dr. Brennan her friend, but Dr. Brennan the scientist."

"Good morning Dr. Saroyan, I have found that Agent Booth and I can no longer work together and I have come up with possible solutions."

"Wait, what do you mean, you and Booth can't work together?" Cam asked in confusion.

Dr. Brennan ignored her question. "I know that Agent Sullivan is back in the area and we have worked with him in the past. He is a good Agent and gets along well with the rest of the team."

"Dr. Brennan, What happened with you and Booth?"

Again Brennan ignored her. "However, I understand loyalty to Agent Booth, he is part of the team and I would understand if you prefer to keep him as the FBI liaison. In that case, here is my resignation. I understand that Agent Booth would be the logical choice and I respect that. There would be no hard feelings."

Cam calmly took Dr. Brennan's hands and led her to a small sofa in her office. They two women sat down. Cam tried again. "Dr. Brennan what happened with Booth?"

Brennan looked down at her hands. "I don't know, I don't know. But it will be for the best." She stood to leave. "Oh, I need a few days off, I am moving." With that Dr. Brennan was gone.

Cam just sat there wondering what Booth had done now. For all she knew they hadn't seen each other.

Brennan just wanted to make it to her car before she lost all control. She didn't want to see anyone; she just needed to get away from there. She pulled out of the Jeffersonian and she drove until she was well out of DC, out where there would be no chance to run into him, out where she could start to mend.

Brennan found a charming little remote motel. It was off the beaten path no one would look for her there. She checked in and made her way to room #12, the last room in the motel. Opening the door, she entered into a small but warmly decorated motel room. Table with 2 chairs to her left as she walked in, queen size bed that took up a large part of the room, TV across from it, pass the bed was a small dressing area and the bathroom.

She made a call to her publicist, asking for them to find her a new apartment and handle the arrangements to have everything moved. She wouldn't be back for a few days, maybe not for a while. She needed time and space, she needed to erase him, she needed to move on.

She opened the window to the room to let some fresh air in. She closed her eyes as she took in the smells of the country. The air was so very different, almost calming. She began unpacking.

After unpacking, she laid back on the bed and just stared at the ceiling. She was exhausted; she had not slept the night before. She had put all her energy into packing up fragile items. Her mind was made up; _she couldn't keep torturing herself, hoping for something that wasn't there. He didn't want her, he hated her, and it would only be a matter of time before he left. With what little strength she had, she left DC and the memories. She needed to heal; she needed to get back to who she was before him, if that was possible. Only then would she be okay. _


	2. Chapter 2

Booth came into the Lab; he was immediately greeted by Hodgins, Angela, and Wendell. It has been a while since they had seen each other. Booth was sorry he had stayed away, these were his friends and he had to admit he missed the squint squad.

Cam heard the commotion and came out of her office, she stood there arms crossed. Booth looked up and saw her; he smiled "Hey Cam"

"Hi big guy, how are you?"

"Doing okay, how are you? Is everything okay?" He could see something in Cam's face, even though she was trying to hide it.

"Come to my office when you are done here." Booth nodded and she turned and walked away.

After several more minutes of small talk, he glanced towards Brennan's office; the lights appeared to be off. He shrugged it off figuring she was probably in limbo. He headed for Cam's office.

He knocked lightly on Cam's door; she turned her head to him and gave him a sad smile. "Come in and close the door please."

Cam sat back in her chair as Booth closed the door and came over and sat on the edge of her desk. They had known each other for too many years to hide anything from the other. Booth watched her with concern.

"Camilla what's wrong?"

She stared at him for a moment, _he didn't know, he didn't know of Brennan's decision. Oh god and she was the one that had to tell him._ She lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"Cam, you can talk to me."

She opened her dark eyes and looked at him. "Seeley, did something happen between you and Dr. Brennan?"

"No, we haven't seen each other since the Simmons Case. Why?"

"Are you absolutely sure, nothing happened at the end of that case that could possibly have caused any more friction between you two?"

"Camille, tell me what happened?"

Cam pushed herself out of her chair, stood in front of Booth with her arms across her chest. "She came to see me this morning. She asked that Agent Sullivan replace you as the FBI liaison."

"Wait What?" Booth stood up.

Cam put her hand on his shoulder. "She said if Sully didn't want to take the position, or we decided you should remain the liaison…" she sighed and reached to her desk for the letter of resignation "She gave me this."

Booth stared at Cam while she pushed the envelope to him. He took a few steps back as he stared at her familiar hand writing on the front. He looked to Cam.

"Read it."

He opened it and was reading it as his body slowly sank into a chair as if losing all strength. He looked at Cam, the confusion and pain visible across his face. "She is quitting if I continue to work with you guys?"

"Seems so, so now you tell me what the hell happened." There was an edge to her voice.

Booth relayed what happened the night before, how he realized how childish he had acted towards her and he had come here today to apologize and to try to make a mends. Booth stood and tossed the letter on Cam's desk and headed for the door.

"Booth, she isn't here." He froze; he didn't feel like he could breathe. "She said she needed a few days off to move."

"Huh? She is moving? Where is she moving to and why?"

"She didn't share that with me and she was gone before it actually registered what she said."

Pointing to the letter on her desk "Don't do anything with that please."

"I wasn't going to." She paused. "Booth you need to fix this."

He nodded, "I know, I will, I promise." He left, almost running, he had to get to her and make this right.

Booth raced to Brennan's apartment. He knocked on the door, nothing, he knocked louder, still nothing. He looked at his keys, he had a key for emergencies and he felt this was an emergency. He put the key in the lock, turned it, took a deep breath and opened the door.

He was not prepared for what he found. Sealed boxes marked by room, stacked neatly near the door. The area rugs rolled up against one wall. He made his way to the kitchen, the cupboards were empty, all their contents in sealed boxes. He made his way room to room and all he saw was box after box of her life. He sat down on the side her bed, putting his head in his hands._ Oh god, Bones, where are you? How long have you been planning this? Come on Booth, she said she only needed a few days, she has to be close. Look around see if she left anything that might point to where she is or where she is moving. _He started to go through the drawers to her desk, breaking the lock on one drawer, trying to find anything that might help find her, he found her passport._ Okay she didn't leave the country that is good, searching only one country was better than searching the world. _He noticed the garbage can, he looked and there was a picture of them taken at Halloween. Her as wonder woman, him as Clark Kent. The caption read"After a really bad date._ "Why would she have thrown that picture away_? He pulled the picture out of the frame and stuck it in his breast pocket.

Leaving her apartment, he was no further along with fixing this than when he left the lab. He had to find her, who would know where she was, where did he start. Sully, Cam had mentioned Sully being a liaison maybe she had talked to Sully. Booth grabbed his phone.

"Sullivan"

"Sully"

"Hi Booth"

"Have you see Bones?"

"What, no, I haven't talked to her since I've been back. Why?"

"She is missing"

"What do you mean missing?"

"Just that, missing." He told Sully about the ultimatum she had issued. "I just thought she had talked to you about it before going to Cam."

"Booth, sorry no, I didn't know anything about it." The silence between the two seemed to go on forever "Hey, I will help you find her."

"Thanks Sully"

"I know you probably have checked her apartment."

"Yeah, she has everything boxed up; her passport is still there, so she hasn't left the country."

"Okay, have you checked the airports?"

"No, I don't think she…I mean… I don't know what I mean."

"I will call the airports, you do what you do and I will call you when I get something."

"Okay…and Sully….Thanks again" Booth closed his phone and just sat in his SUV staring out the window.

Booth opened his cell and pushed the well used speed dial button. When her voicemail finished and the beep went off, he didn't know what to say, he just listened to air and flipped his phone closed. He tried again, just to hear her voice, and then hoped she might call him if she saw he called. He waited for just a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. He called her again, this time he left a message. "Bones, we need to talk, call me."


	3. Chapter 3

Brennan had slept for several of hours; she could tell by the shadows it was late in the afternoon. She got up feeling drained, wanting to just crawl under the covers and just fade away. She knew she needed to move, she would feel better if she could just do something. She washed her face, ran a brush through her hair and decided to find something to eat. She hadn't eaten since the day before and her stomach was protesting loudly.

She entered the office of the small hotel and was greeted by the very small elderly woman that had checked her in.

"Hello honey, is there something I can do for you?"

Brennan smiled "I am looking for somewhere I can eat. I don't know the area and thought maybe you could recommend somewhere."

"Oh well let me see. There is Stan's bar and grill north of here about 5 minutes and then there is Liv's south about 10 minutes. Liv's has some of the best country food around; it will really stick to your ribs." The small woman smiled at her and honey, you need some stick to your ribs food."

Brennan grinned at her "I guess I do" Brennan got in her car and headed for Livs. Livs appeared to have once been an old 2 story farm house, painted a beige with deep red trim. Double wide stairs leading up to a covered front porch that spanned the front of the house and wrapped around one side of the house. There were two park style benches on the porch on either side of the main door. The door reflected the trim, red with a large oval glass etched window in the center of the door. As she entered there was a mall counter in front of her with a register and some menus. The rest of the room was a large open room, appeared to be the original floor plan and the stairs that lead to the second floor off to the right were roped off. There was a half wall that separated the main room from the kitchen area and she could see the cook. He was a tall man, mid 40's, his hair was sandy blonde and he was balding on the top.

"Welcome" Brennan turned to see a very beautiful small woman smiling at her. She was about 5"4", very slender build, no makeup, but very striking. She had a head full beautiful auburn hair pulled back away from her face in a long braid. "My name is Liv, welcome to our little home away from home. Just one?"

Brennan smiled at her "Thank you and yes." She was amazed at the friendliness and warmth that radiated off this woman. This is not something you would find in DC.

* * *

><p>After a very early dinner Brennan returned to her little sanctuary. She had forgotten to take her phone and it was on her nightstand flashing. 4 missed calls, 3 of them were from Booth, 1 from her publicist.<p>

Her publicist found 3 apartments for her to look at. One was in the building she already lived in. She got her laptop and opened it, she went through the pictures that her publisher took and sent her. She chose the apartment already in her building; it would make it a little easier on the movers. The apartment was much larger than her own, and would be a good change for when or if she returned.

After she hung up, she looked at her phone. Maybe he had to call 3 times to get out all his rage. She called her voicemail, tears rolling down her face as she hit the delete button without listening to the messages. She didn't want to hear the venom in his voice anymore. She needed to move on and she was turning her world upside down to do it.

She hadn't realized she had left the door open when she returned to her room and only now realized she was being watched. The small woman from the office was standing in the doorway with a sympathetic look on her face. Brennan quickly wiped the tears from her face. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Honey, it is okay, I was just checking to see if you needed anything before I call it a day?"

"No, no I am fine, thank you." Brennan smiled at her

"Honey, if you need to talk, I am a good listener." She smiled at Brennan and walked away.

Brennan stepped out of her small room and sat on a chair just outside the door, closed her eyes and just let the sounds, smells and the quiet just wrap around her like a soft cozy blanket.

* * *

><p>Booth went to Angela, she might know something. He knew deep inside Bones hadn't told anyone what she had planned, but he had to try. Maybe Angela would know of some special place she might go just to get away.<p>

Back at the lab, Booth headed straight for Angela's office, barely acknowledging anyone that talked to him. He didn't bother knocking just went right in. Angela had her back to him working on a reconstruction of a skull.

"Hey Ange." He was cautious, he figured by now she had been told what was going on. So he braced for the worse.

"Booth" her greeting was less than friendly and she didn't even turn around.

She knew "Ange, I have to find her. Do you…."

She spun around to face him her eyes smoldering. "You got that right you have to find her. What happened, what did you do to make her do..do...all this?"

Booth looked at her, he didn't know what to say, but she had left because of him.

"Ange…"

"Don't Ange me; this is all your fault. If you didn't have your head up your ass, you would have fought for her instead of running away and coming back with the first blonde bimbo you found. You gave up on her Booth, you left her."

"Hey, she was leaving; she was the one running off to some island. She is the one that pushed me away. Then after we are back she has this big revelation and I am just suppose to go running into her arms?"

"Don't give me that G-Man, you know what it took for her to admit what she felt for you and you knew what it cost her. She stuck by you after you came back with that…that…woman, she stuck by you after 'it' left, even after you rejected her, she stood by you, and she waited for YOU, you arrogant …."

"Angela, I don't want to fight, I want to find her. I have to find her. I have to make this right."

Angela was crying, "I don't know if you can make this right."

He pulled Angela into an embrace holding her while she cried. "I will make it right. I promise."

She pushed him away, the anger was back. "Don't you understand? You broke her all over again. Bren has loved you for years, are you really so blind you couldn't see it? Her world has been destroyed. And, even if you don't think you have, you abandoned her. She is that scared 15 year old again that has been left all alone with no one to count on. You did that to her. It will take a miracle to fix this time and I don't know if you have a miracle. And now none of us knows where she is and I am scared for her." Fresh tears ran down her face.

Angela's words were like a sucker punch to his gut, _HE BROKE HER. _ _He had moved on, he had done what Bones wanted, he moved on with his life._ But, he never expected to lose his best friend when he did.

Booth felt alone, no one to turn to, usually he would turn to Bones, but she wasn't there. The lab, their squints, were obviously on her side. He didn't even feel he could turn to Cam at this point. Feeling helpless he left the lab and headed home, there was nothing more he could do today. Tomorrow he would start fresh and tomorrow he might have a clue.

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><p><em><strong>I want to thank everyone for your reviews. It helps you know if you are on the right track. <strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

It had been two weeks since Brennan had vanished of her own free will. No one had heard from her. Her phone went to voice mail anytime he tried to call. Was she unable to answer her phone or was she refusing to? Booth was starting to panic; this wasn't like her, his imagination ran wild. _What if she was in danger, what if she hadn't left on her own? What if she was hurt and needed him? What if…What if…What if. He felt like he was going crazy, what if she never came back, if he never saw her again, heard her voice, or her laughter. _He felt he was on the verge of losing his mind.

Booth didn't know where else to turn, what rock had he missed turning over, but now he was desperate, he had to find her and he was going to do whatever it took. He got up from his desk and he headed for Hackers office. He wanted Hackers blessing to watch her credit cards and put an APB out on her and her car, but whether he had it or not, he would do it even if it cost him his job.

* * *

><p>Brennan had become accustom to her hide away, she enjoyed her mornings with Katherine Tipton, the lady from the motel office, Mrs. Tipton was in her late 70's, maybe 5'0 tall, hair was always in a large bun on the back of her head and she had the kindest blue gray eyes. Her and Brennan would have breakfast together and talk about the weather or the farming around the area. Brennan had become a fixture in just a couple of weeks, people knew her by name and they treated her as if she belonged. They didn't treat her as Dr. Brennan or a best selling author, they treated her as Temperance. In fact if they knew who she was, none of them let on.<p>

She was even spending times at Stan's and learning how to play pool. She was like a child when she managed to sink a ball, even if it wasn't the one she was aiming for. The owner Stan Waters could make her laugh, even when she thought it impossible. Stan was a fit man of 60, still had a head full of silver gray hair. His face was weather beaten, but yet distinguished and his green eyes stood out against his skin.

Nights after she returned to her room were the only times she didn't look forward to. They were filled with images of Booth, his voice, his smile, and his laugh. She would usually cry herself to sleep or dull the pain in a bottle of scotch.

She was starting to believe she didn't want to go back to DC, didn't want to go back to the lab. She could live her days out here and just be a writer. No one could hurt her here; no one could find her here.

* * *

><p>Booth sat in Hackers office justifying why he had to find Bones. Hacker listened intently; however, he was not convinced it was a good use of FBI resources. Even though, he had to admit he had been worried about Temperance also. It was not like her to just disappear; she was one that surrounded herself with work when she was having problems. As the director, though, he had to justify why a government agency would be used for, of all purposes, 'stalking' Temperance if there was no reason to.<p>

"Agent Booth, Maybe she just needs time away, a vacation if you will. She works non stop, we both know that, maybe it just caught up with her and she realized she needed to get away."

"No..no..she wouldn't do that and not tell anyone."

"Anyone?"

Booth looked nervous "Me, Okay, me. She wouldn't do something like that and not. tell. me."

"Seems she has. Why do you really want to find her?" Hacker had suspected for a long time that Booth loved Brennan, and was rather shocked when he had come back with Hannah. Even with Hannah, Hacker still saw the looks he would give Brennan, sad looks of a lost love.

Booth was getting impatient "Can I have the permission or not?"

"Why do you want to find her if she doesn't want to be found?"

"She is my partner, my best friend, I am worried about her, I..lo…" Booth froze and looked at Hacker

Hacker smiled, "You have my permission."

Booth thanked him and bolted from the office.

Booth stood in the hall against the wall. _Had he really just almost said he loved her? No, no he had moved on. He didn't…No. She pushed him away, he moved on. I love her she is my best friend and partner. I love Cam, Angela, hell I even love Hodgins…sort of. So yeah he loved her as a friend. _That settled he headed back to his office.

* * *

><p>Once back in his office he called Sully "Sully we need to put a track on her credit cards and a nationwide APB out on her and her car. I don't want anyone to contact her; I only want to be notified of where she is. I need to go get her alone."<p>

"Booth, this is kind of against policy."

"I have Hackers Ok, just do it." He hung up his phone.

Booth called her publicist; maybe he could get some information from her. However, he had not counted on her loyalty. She was not giving anything away. She told him that if Dr. Brennan had wanted him to know where she was, she would have told him herself and that was all she would say. In all honesty the publicist didn't know where she was either and had only had one contact with her since she left.

Booth headed for her apartment, maybe he missed something, he had to try. As he entered the lobby the door man greeted him and told him she had moved. Booth blinked, _she moved, but when did she come back to move?_ The door man as if reading his mind told him movers had been here a week earlier and moved her items. He also let him know she was still living in the building that she had moved to an upper level. Booth thanked him and left. At least he knew where she moved to, so if she got back first he could find her.

Days turned into another week and another. Nothing, everything was a dead end. She had not been using her credit cards; no one had called regarding the APB. Booth was going out of his mind with worry and the need to just see her. No one had heard from her and she still was not answering her phone. Booth put a track on her cell, maybe where ever she was, she was using it. He didn't know what else to do. She had been gone for a month.


	5. Chapter 5

Wendel and Cam were looking over a body in the lab. He was having problems with the cause of death and he wished more than anything Dr. Brennan would come in and help him find it. He looked up at Cam "I am missing something, I can't see it. Dr. Brennan would see it. I'm not her."

Cam simply nodded; she knew she had to force Brennan to talk to them. She had been stalling with the resignation letter, but it was now time for Cam to give her ultimatum, either she came back to work or Cam would follow through with her resignation.

Cam went to her office and placed the call she had been dreading. When the beep went off to leave a message, she made it simple. "Dr. Brennan please call, we have a case and Dr. Bray needs your expertise." As she hung up the phone, she thought _if anything would get through to her, her passion for her job, and her intern needing her would._

Cam returned to the platform. Wendel eyed her. "You called her didn't you?" Cam just nodded. "What did she say?"

"Only got her voice mail."

"Do you think she will call you back?"

"I hope she will."

* * *

><p>Brennan had been in the shower when the call came in. She saw the flashing and Cam's name. She closed her eyes as she dialed her voice mail. As she listened to Cam, she felt guilty for just leaving like she did, but she knew at the time it was the right thing to do.<p>

Brennan pushed the speed dial and with in a minute Cam answered. "Thank God, how are you?"

"I am fine, Dr. Bray needs my assistance?"

"Yes, do you have your laptop?"

"Yes, give me a second to set it up."

She spent the next 30 minutes listening to the case and what Wendel had pieced together. She had him show her different areas and different magnifications. She found a barely visible nick in a vertebra. It gave Wendel the puzzle piece he had been looking for. Brennan smiled as she watched his excitement. Then Cam was back on the phone.

"Dr. Brennan, we need to talk. Not now, but by the end of the week."

"I know Dr. Saroyan, I am coming to some decisions and I hope to have it all figured out by the time we talk."

"One more thing."

"Yes."

"Booth is beside himself. He is going crazy trying to find you. Dr. Brennan he misses you. He is worried sick about you. You need to talk to him."

"I see." was all she could say before he hung up.

* * *

><p>Sully was out of breath when he got to Booths office. He didn't knock; he just barreled through the door.<p>

"We found her."

"What, where?"

Sully shoved the paper he was holding towards Booth. She just got off the phone with Cam. Booth just stared at the paper; she was only a few hours out of DC. They had the tower; they triangulated it, which could be accurate to a few feet in some instances. The address he stared at was of a small motel in the middle of no where.

"Booth?"

"Yeah."

"Well" Sully was grinning ear to ear.

"Yeah, yeah." He hugged Sully, grabbed his jacket and headed for his SUV.

He sat in his SUV, he hadn't even thought about what he was going to do when he found her. He watched the miles tick off on the speedometer; oh it was going to take forever to reach her. He turned on the radio; maybe music would make it go faster. Hot blooded was playing. He smiled at the memory of that song, their song. Music didn't help; the miles were getting longer and longer. He needed to figure out what he was going to say to her when he found her. How he was going to get her to come home and go back to work.

* * *

><p>After she got off the phone she walked up to the office to get Mrs. Tipton. There was apparently a little town festival going on this afternoon and through the weekend that was a yearly occurrence. Brennan was intrigued, but to be honest she didn't know there was an actual town here. Her time had been spent between Liv's, Stan's, her motel and walking down a path behind the motel to a small stream where she could just listen to nature and find some peace.<p>

The actually town was actually on the other side of a small hill across the street from the motel. Brennan wondered why she had never ventured that way during her afternoon walks. She had seen the well wore path going up the hill past what appeared to be an old one room school house that was slowly being refurbished, but she had never walked there, she always found herself walking down the to the stream.

When they arrived she found a place to park and she and Mrs. Tipton headed off for the festivities, Mrs. Tipton's arm hooked through Brennans. Brennan was surprised at what she found, while this was a festival for the community, many other communities and people passing through would stop. Even though she had only been in the area for a month, she saw face after face of people she knew either from Stan's or from Liv's, which were the only two real community places around.

She observed booths with home made items from jams and jellies, dishtowels that could be hooked to the stove handles. People here would trade if they didn't have money, trade their craft for another. This was a community of people that took care of each other, something you would never see in DC. She wondered if this is the way communities were a long time ago, when you had only your neighbors and yourself to count on.

As they wandered a familiar smell caught her attention. It was one she smelled before, but yet it was different. When she found the source a sad smile came across her face, it was fresh baked apple pies. Mrs. Samuels had what looked like an old barrel style barbeque that her husband had rigged so she could bake pies right there at the festival. She thought of Booth and how much he would have enjoyed that.

"Tempe honey?" Mrs. Tipton's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Would you mind helping me get this stuff to your car?" Brennan rushed over to help her carry what she bought. "I always do this, I just can't help myself, I just can't say no to fresh vegetables and homemade things." She giggled like a young girl and Brennan couldn't help but smile.

As Brennan and Mrs. Tipton were heading back for their car a voice from the crowd called out. "Hey Tempe, you better be at Stan's tonight, I still have to redeem myself from that horrible beating I took at pool." Brennan turned to see Charlie standing there laughing. Charlie was about 24, dark hair, green eyes, he did odd jobs around the area. Nice kid just taking each day as they came.

She laughed, "I will be there."

She drove Mrs. Tipton home, helped get all the bags in and started to help her unpack them. Mrs. Tipton slapped her hand. "What do you think you are doing? You have to go kick some butt at pool." They both laughed and Brennan headed off to her room to freshen up before she headed for Stan's.

As Brennan pulled in and park she parked on the far side of Charlie's truck, her small Prius could never been seen from the road behind Charlie's monster Dodge truck. As she got out she glanced around and caught a flash of a black SUV going down the road. She shook her head, there are thousands of black SUV's in America, she needed to stop thinking they were all him. No one knew where she was, there was no way to find her.

She headed for the door of Stan's and when she walked in the whole bar greeted her.


	6. Chapter 6

The front door of the motel jangled as it opened. Booth stepped into a small neat and clean lobby area and was greeted shortly by a small elderly woman that could be anyone's grandmother. "May I help you." she said smiling at Booth.

"Hi, Ma'am, Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI"

"Oh my, the FBI, what would the FBI be doing out here?"

"We are looking for a missing person. He pulled Brennan's picture from his pocket. Have you seen her?"

Mrs. Tipton looked at the picture, studied it. _What did he want with Tempe?_ "She was here a few nights ago, but she has left, not sure where she was heading. You say she is missing?"

"Yes Ma'am" She could see the hurt in this man's eyes as he looked at the picture. "She is my partner, and she left about a month ago. I..we..all her colleagues miss her and are quite worried about her."

"I hope you find her."

"When she was here, was she alone?" Booth was almost afraid to hear the answer

"Yes, she was."

"Did she seem Okay?"

"I guess, she seemed sad."

"Thank you, do you have a room I could use for tonight, I am really not up for a drive back to DC and if they get any further information, I might be that much closer."

"Sure, you can have the one right here next to the office."

After Booth filled out the paperwork, he made his way to the room. When he got in the room he closed the door behind him. _Sure she was here a 'few' days ago. She was there today, that sweet little lady just lied her butt off to me._ The cell tower Brennan's phone pinged on was looming about 500 yards behind the motel. He knew Brennan had been here or in this area today. It wasn't that big, how hard could it be to find her.

* * *

><p>As soon as Mrs. Tipton was sure Booth was in his room she hurried back into her small living area and called Stan's. "Stan there is an FBI agent here looking for Tempe. They say she is missing. You need to tell her. I will call you if he leaves here."<p>

Stan hung up the phone. "Tempe, Tempe" he called to get her attention. When she looked up he motioned her to following him to the deserted end of the bar. "Mrs. Tipton called."

"Is she okay, do I need to go back?"

"No..no she is fine. Tempe...the FBI is there looking for you."

He watched her face drop. _Why was he here? _

"Tempe they say you are missing?"

"I am not missing; I took a leave from work a month ago. I...I just talked to Cam today." _How did he find me? No one knows where I am. How dare he?_ Stan could see panic and anger rising on her face

"Tempe, are you okay. Tempe?" the phone rang; he glanced back at Tempe as he went to answer it. "Stan's… yeah..okay…we will." He hung up the phone.

"Tempe he just left the motel heading this way, if you are going to leave, leave now, go to Liv's, go through town to the first street to your left and it will take you right to Livs and he won't see you. Go now!"

Tempe grabbed her purse and took off out of the bar, like a bullet being fired out of a rifle. She hesitated for just a moment thinking about confronting Booth. _No she wasn't ready to face him. Maybe if she just stayed hidden he would give up and go back. No he was like a blood hound; he wouldn't give up unless he was forced to or died._ Stan was suddenly behind her. "Go Tempe" She turned and nodded and left the way Stan told her to.

She had barely cleared the parking lot when Booth pulled in from the main road. He got out, looked around for any sign of her. When he entered the bar he felt all eyes were on him, he looked around. On one table there was a beer only half finished, there appeared to be lipstick on the glass, but the only two women in the bar, clearly were not wearing any and had drinks of their own. He continued up to the deserted end of the bar.

"Can I help you?"

"Draft beer if you don't mind."

Stan got him his beer "Never seen you around here before, you just passing through?"

"Yeah, you might say that."

"Where abouts you from?"

"DC"

"You out here to experience our clean air?"

Booth chuckled, "No actually I am looking for someone. He pulled his badge out, "Special Agent Booth, FBI," He pulled Brennan's picture out of his pocket "Have you seen her?"

Stan looked at the picture "She might have been around here a couple of days ago. Not really sure." Booth knew Brennan would stand out and no man with a pulse would forget seeing her.

Stan was getting nervous by the intense stare he was getting from this man. He picked up Tempe's picture and yelled across the bar "Hey, y'all, Come look at this picture, has anyone see this woman around here?" All the regulars looked at the picture and shook their heads. "Sorry sir, if something as fine as her came through I am sure someone would remember."

Booth had been intently watching them. Brennan was here recently or was still around. He didn't need to read people to know that; he felt it in his gut. She was close.


	7. Chapter 7

Brennan arrived at Liv's, which was closed, but Liv was at the door waiting for her. Liv's husband came out the door, "Tempe, give me your keys, I am going to move your car back into the barn to keep it out of sight. You go with Liv." Tempe just nodded and followed Liv through the restaurant to the back.

"Tempe, why is the FBI looking for you?" Liv asked.

"I am not in any trouble Liv. It is my ex partner looking for me. It is a long complicated story, I had to get away, I took time off work, and I left. I just wanted some peace; I needed to get away from him. I needed to…move on."

"You are coming home with us tonight, he won't find you there and tomorrow we will decide what needs to be done." Liv ordered.

While she sat in the back of the car on her way to Liv's it suddenly dawn on her all this small community was doing to protect her. They hardly knew her but they didn't just turn her over to the intimidating FBI agent. They were risking themselves for her.

When they got to Liv's she sat quietly in their living room while Liv made up a guest room for her. Her thoughts were all over the place, she wanted to run, but she didn't want to leave this small place. She knew she had to; she had to some how get her stuff and leave in the morning. She had to get as far from him as possible. Maybe once things settled down she could return here.

Once Liv was done, she came to sit by Tempe. "Now why don't you tell me the story about you and this FBI guy?" She doesn't know what happened, Liv was so easy to talk to, her and Booths story just started pouring out of her. She laughed some, but mostly cried remembering him. She doesn't know how long she talked, Liv never moved, never interrupted; just let her get it out. By the time she was done, she was exhausted. Liv hugged her, told her everything would be okay, and lead her to the room where she would be spending the night.

* * *

><p>Booth had returned to the motel, he knew he couldn't sleep so he decided to walk a little. He still wasn't totally sure what he would say to her once he found her. He just wanted to find her.<p>

As he walked past each room he glanced in through open curtains to the dark room on the other side, hoping to see her. When he came to the last room, the curtains were slightly opened, he saw a laptop on the bed, and it looked like hers. And, a cell phone on the night stand, the light from the bathroom cast dim shadows around the room, he couldn't see much more. He had to get a closer look, he glanced around and pulled a credit card out of his wallet and he popped the lock the door with ease and slipped inside.

He went straight for the cell, opened it and it was hers. She had been here. He moved around the room looking for any clues as to where she was now. He opened one of the drawers, ran his fingers over a shirt folded neatly. He found a shirt lying across the bed; he picked it up and held it to his nose. He breathed her scent deep into his lungs. "Bones, where are you?" He slipped back out of the room and made his way back to his. Tomorrow was another day, he wasn't leaving without her.

* * *

><p>Brennan woke up the next morning, having had a somewhat restful night, more restful than she had had in a long time. Guessing finally having someone she could talk to about Booth helped. But now she had to face him and make him go away. She wanted a life here with these people and she was not going to let him ruin that.<p>

She went out to Liv's kitchen and Liv was happily cooking breakfast. She smiled as she watch the young woman, she loved being in the kitchen and cooking for her family, even if that family was the whole town.

Liv turned and saw her. "Tempe, Good morning, I hope you slept okay?"

"I did, thank you."

"Want some coffee?"

"I can get it; you don't need to wait on me."

"Hush now, you just sit down, just let me flip this flapjack and I will get it."

Brennan sat at the table and watched Liv, she wished she could have some of her passion for the simpler things. Maybe she could learn to here, this small town was rubbing off on her and she liked the effect it was having.

Liv brought her coffee, then pulled a chair closer to her, sat and looked intently at Brennan. "So hon do you know what you are going to do today?"

Brennan looked back at her "I have to see him; I have to make him go away. And…if…if he won't I will have to leave until he gives up." She turned her gaze to look out of the window at the open field, 2 horses lazily grazing on dew laden grass as the sun bathed them in warmth.

"Tempe, you can stay here, he won't find you."

"No I can't ask that of any of you, you have done too much already. He won't stop; he won't give up. He will turn this town upside down until he finds me. It is better I do it this way. I have to make him leave, leave all of us in peace."

Liv nodded, she knew Tempe had made up her mind. "After breakfast, I will take you back to your car, but you say the word and we will all be there when you talk to him. We will make sure he understands."

"Thank you, but no, I have to do this alone."


	8. Chapter 8

Booth woke up and showered. He was going to press the motel owner, he now had proof that Bones was here or had been and he was not leaving until he had some answers. But he would start after breakfast. He found a guide to the area in the drawer of the nightstand and it showed a place called Livs not far down the road. He head for Liv's.

Liv's husband was the first to see him, gave him some coffee and a menu and raced to the back to call home. He had to warn them. No answer, they were on their way, he had no way to warn them that the agent was there.

He took Booths order and headed to the kitchen to cook it, keeping an eye out for his wife's car. Booth had been watching him, he seemed nervous; he kept looking out the window and up a deserted country road. Booth turned his attention turned back to his breakfast; he was starving and just wanted to eat as fast as he could so he could get to looking for Brennan.

* * *

><p>Tempe tensed as the small restaurant came into sight. Liv saw what she was. The black government issued SUV out front. Liv quickly turned down a side road, causing her car to lean dangerously. She pulled into the back of her business. Tempe went to get her car and Liv went in the restaurant.<p>

Liv went in and greeted her husband fondly and motioned towards the garage. He nodded his understanding. She then proceeded about her duties, refilling Booth's coffee and creating small talk. "So what brings you out this way, visiting family or just passing through?"

Booth knew this whole town had been alerted to him, by smoke signals probably. He stared at her for a second. "I think you know why I am here, I am looking for my partner and I know she is here somewhere." He leaned in giving Liv a deadly look. "I am not leaving till I talk to her, you tell her that." He stood up, put enough money on the counter to cover his bill and a tip and he left.

Liv shivered a little, the agent was intimidating if he wanted to be.

As soon as Booth was out of sight Liv ran for the barn. "Tempe, he has headed back towards the motel. He said he won't leave until he talks to you." Tempe nodded, gave her friend a hug and drove off towards the motel.

* * *

><p>Back at the motel Booth entered the office. Mrs. Tipton greeted him. "Morning Mr. Booth, I trust you slept well."<p>

She was a bit too cheerful for Booth. "No, I didn't and I won't until I talk to my partner. I know she was here, that is her stuff in Room 12. Now why don't you tell me where she is? I am not leaving until I see her."

"Mr. Booth…"

"Agent. Agent Booth, remember?"

"Agent Booth, yes she has been staying here, but she doesn't want to see you. I don't know what happened between you two, but I do know she is hurting. We will not help you find her."

Brennan was just pulling up when she saw Booths fist slam down on the counter. She slammed on her brakes sliding a little on the grave, she slammed her car into park and launched herself out of her car and headed for the office. _How dare he treat Mrs. Tipton that way. _He heard the car sliding up and the jingle of the door. He turned just in time to see Brennan coming through the front door. "Bones"

She never slowed down; she came across the small office and slapped him so hard across the face he staggered to the side. "Don't you try to intimidate these people. "You wanted to see me, take a look. Now that you have seen me you can leave." She turned and left the lobby heading for her room. She knew he would follow and would leave Mrs. Tipton alone.

Booth regained his composure, glanced at Mrs. Tipton who seemed amused by what she just saw and he headed out the door behind Brennan.

"Bones" he was rubbing his face where she slapped him, he was sure he had a perfect hand print there. "Bones, STOP, talk to me."

"We have nothing to talk about Booth. It's over." She walked into her room, slamming the door in his face, locking it and started to pack.

Booth tried the door, she had locked it. Talking through the door, "Bones please talk to me. We need to talk."

"No Booth, everything that needed to be said has been said."

"Bones please open this door."

"NO!"

"Come on Bones, I don't want to talk to you through a door."

"No."

"Open it or I will kick it down."

She couldn't let him destroy the door. She didn't have much choice and she unlocked the door. He heard the lock click and he turned the knob and walked in. She was still packing. He reached for her and she pulled back, moving to the other side of the room.

"Booth, why are you here? I have done everything to give you space, time and the last time I saw you, you made your feelings pretty clear." She was unraveling just having him that close, all the progress she made in this last month was being undone.

"Bones, you mean too much to me, I don't want to lose my best friend, my partner."

"I can not be your friend or..or your partner right now." She sat on the edge of the bed and he sat down next to her.

"Bones" he reached for her.

She pulled away, "Please don't!"

He held his hand up in surrender, "Okay Bones, I won't, but please listen to me. Okay?"

She closed her eyes. _Why is he doing this to me? Can't he see what has happened to us? Can't he see I don't want to talk to him anymore? Booth I can't do this anymore. I just want to find peace. _

"Bones?"

She opened her eyes and focused them on the rug. "Fine, talk." Her voice was curt

His voice was soft. "I don't know where to begin, I hadn't really thought about what I would say when I found you, so please don't try to take anything out of context, just listen." She nodded. "That night in the pub, I was wrong. I should not have talked to you that way. You didn't deserve it. I turned back around to talk to you and you were gone." He watched her and she wasn't moving. "I went by the lab the next day and found out from Cam you had left, I know about the ultimatum you issued to Cam regarding you and me working together."

"It was not an ultimatum; it was solutions to a problem."

"Whatever it was, I know. I don't want to end our partnership or our friendship. Bones, I need you in my life."

"I can't be in your life anymore."

"Why"

"Because it..I..I can't."

"That is no reason and you know it." He snapped at her.

"Booth, I told you, it..it is over." Tears were threatening her eyes. "I am tired of fighting."

"That is not good enough. The Bones I knows doesn't just give up." he stared at her "The Bones I know fights and I just saw her in the lobby and I have the welt on my face to prove it."

She got up and weakly started to go back to packing. "I just can't."

He went out the door to take some deep breaths. She could aggravate him so fast. He marched up to her car and took her keys. He was not just letting her drive away from him and he knew she would do exactly that. As he turned back to the room he realized there were more cars in the parking lot. Seems the manager was rallying the troops to protect Brennan.

He walked back in the room as she came out of the bathroom with an arm load of stuff.

He closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the forearms, causing a few items she had to drop to the floor. "Bones please."

"Booth let go of me." He loosened his grip slightly, but he would not let her go.

"Bones, you are not walking away from me, not until we talk."

"Booth, there is nothing to talk about. I rejected you, you moved on. I found..that..that..and you were with Hannah. Then... It is over."

"No, Bones, nothing between us is over. It will never be over. We are connected by something neither of us understands, but we are connected."

"NO," she yelled at him. "No…no…loving you hurts too much." The tears finally won and were streaming down her face. "Please Booth, just leave."

"I can't do that Bones, I wish I could, but I can't." he pulled her to him and put his arms around her. Her Body tensed as it came into contact with his. "Bones, we are two halves, only together do we make a whole." She refused to look at him and just kept shaking her head. Finally sighing heavily he released her, she grabbed her bag and left.

Brennan threw the bag in the back of her car and got in. _Where are the keys? Did I take them out? Think Tempe think. I pulled up. I never shut the car off. When he walked out of the room he had went and got her keys. _She slammed her hands into the steering wheel and put her head down on it. She took some deep breaths and opened the door.

Booth had picked up her bath products from the floor and set them on the dresser and then waited in the middle of the room for her to come back.

She came through the door like a woman possessed. She stopped just short of him. "Where are my keys?"

"Not until you talk to me."

Her blue eyes were like ice. There was no warmth in them, he could have swore her eyes could freeze fire. "Fine say what you came to say, then hand me my keys so I may leave. Deal?"

He stared at her for a long time, "I guess I have said almost everything. You asked how I found you. I traced your credit cards, I had an APB out on you and I tracked your cell phone as a last resort." She started to reach for her keys and he put his hand on her arm, one last thing. "When Hacker asked me why I wanted to find you I had to start facing the truth." He searched her face "Bones, I love you."

Her eyes locked on his, as if she was searching for the truth. Her body was tense, her eyes filling with tears. _How long had she wanted to hear those words, how long she had prayed they would be true and now he is using them to hold on to his... partner. _ She started to shake her head back and forth in small motions as she backed out the door. "No, you loved Hannah, you proposed to Hannah, just a few months ago. That doesn't change overnight."

"Bones please..."

"Is that all you had to say?" She swallowed hard regaining some of her composure.

He looked at the ground "Yeah."

"Then please give me my keys."

He walked up to her with the keys fisted in his hand, looking at her. "You don't need to leave, I will."

"Thank you, Booth."

"Take care of yourself."

Pulling out of that parking lot was the hardest thing he had to do, but if it would keep her from running again then he would do it. At least this way he knew where she was. He had stopped to take one last look at her before he pulled and begged with his eyes on her to turn around and when she didn't, he took in a deep breath and pointed the SUV back for DC.


	9. Chapter 9

Brennan apologized to Mrs. Tipton. "No need to apologize dear." Mrs. Tipton said patting her hand and leading her into her small apartment behind the lobby.

"Yes there is. I need to apologize to all of you for having to witness all that. I am sorry I brought that to your town."

"He loves you, you know that? Liv told me what you told her. Well, I had to drag it out of her; she didn't want to violate your trust."

"No, he just split from his girlfriend, he is just confused."

"No honey, he is not confused. I heard him."

Brennan looked at her. "I don't understand."

Mrs. Tipton chuckled, "These walls are old and weak, and things drift through. He was in that room right there." She pointed to the wall behind Brennan. "I heard him practicing his speech to tell you he loved you. He didn't do it as well today. Honey, he moved heaven and earth to find you."

"No, he used the FBI to find me."

"Exactly."

"I don't understand."

"Nothing else matters to him but you. He used everything he could use to find you. Honey don't you see how much he loves you? It killed him to drive away; he sacrificed his heart all so you can be happy. There is an old saying, my mother use to tell me, but it is very true. **If you love something set it free, if it comes back it is yours, if it doesn't it never was.** He loves you so much he just set you free and now he is praying you come back."

"I do love him, but it..it would never work."

"You never will know if you don't try. Now would you like some tea?"

* * *

><p>Booth was sitting in front of his apartment. He didn't remember the drive back. He pulled himself out of his car and headed for his apartment. Every step he took seemed heavier than the next. She was gone, he had lost her.<p>

Booth called off work the next several days; he couldn't force himself out of bed. She was gone and it was all his fault. He would never again hear her laugh, see her eyes, feel her skin. He just wanted to curl up and die. Before didn't effect him like this, he had known she would be there everyday and he could see her, talk to her. But now, she was really gone.

He heard his phone going off repeatedly, he ignored it. He didn't want to talk to anyone; he didn't want to see anyone. Couldn't they just leave him alone? After 2 days in bed, hungry drove him from it. He pulled open his refrigerator, nothing, cupboards, nothing. He had been living on alcohol and take out before Brennan left and hadn't bothered to go grocery shopping. He grabbed the last beer; it might make his stomach quit growling.

There was a knock on his door. He groaned and sat down on his sofa. If he was quiet they would go away. He didn't want to see anyone; he had to be alone to find a way to forget her.

* * *

><p>Brennan had been in her motel room for 2 days, Mrs. Tipton had tried to persuade her to come out, but Brennan wouldn't even answer the door. Mrs. Tipton had used her extra keys to get in and left food for her twice a day, sometimes she ate, other times she didn't touch it. She just lay in bed staring at the wall.<p>

On the third day Brennan sat up in bed, she knew there was no going back, at least not now. She picked up her phone and pushed the speed dial.

"Saroyan"

"Cam, its Brennan." Her voice sounded defeated.

"Dr. Brennan, how are you?"

"Please go forward with my resignation." She started to cry "I apologize" and she hung up.

Cam stared at her phone for a few moments, then tried to call Brennan back, but only got her voicemail. She had to let Booth know, she tried his number repeatedly and only got voicemail. _This can't be happening. What the hell is going on?_ Cam called the FBI trying to find Booth and found he had taken several days off. She knew she had to break the news to the rest of the team and then had to get to the bottom of this. She didn't want to hand that resignation letter in.

Cam called everyone into her office. They all studied her nervously, only time Cam would pull them all together like this was when something was wrong. By the expression on Cam's face, there was a lot wrong. Cam looked at each one of them, trying to form the words she had to say. "I don't know how to say this, but I think in this situation being blunt is appropriate. Dr. Brennan called and asked that I go forward with her resignation."

"What do you mean go forward with her resignation?" Angela was on her feet, her arms crossed in front of her.

"That is all she said and then hung up" Cam was looking at the floor "and she was crying."

"Where is she?" Angela was pacing

"I don't know. No one knows."

"Where is Booth, he needs to find her and fix it." Angela was crying and Hodgins was trying to calm her down.

"He took days off and he is not answering his phone." Cam said shaking her head.

Angela's tear streaked face turned towards Cam. "He found her and he did something, he did this. He made her leave." Hodgins tried to pull Angela back into an embrace and she pushed him away. "No, I don't know about you, but I am going to make Booth tell me what he did." She marched out of Cam's office. Hodgins, Wendel and Cam followed.

* * *

><p>They were now standing outside of Booths door knocking and getting no response.<p>

"He is in there, his SUV is outside, he is in there." Angela was beyond upset as she banged on his door.

Cam reached for the fake rock and retrieved the key. "You realize if we are wrong, he is going to kill us?" She put the key into the lock.

They all filed into Booths apartment, he didn't move off the couch. When they came down the hall he just sat there staring at the wall, he didn't want to talk to whoever it was.

Cam was the first to see him. "Seeley" he didn't move "Seeley" he continued to stare at the wall.

Angela was right behind Cam and she didn't give him a chance to ignore her, she flew across the room to him and grabbed him by the shirt. A fresh round of tears over took her as she started to scream at him. "Where is she? What did you do? Booth answer me?"

Booth stood to face her firmly removed her hands from his shirt. "She's gone" and he turned to walk away.

Angela grabbed his arm; he was not getting away that easy. "So you did find her? Where is she?"

Booth just looked at her, tears forming in his eyes. His voice was soft. "Angela she is gone, she said it was over, that..that she couldn't be my partner or friend anymore."

"Why? What did you say to her?"

"I told her I loved her. She wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. She doesn't want me…us…she's gone." He collapsed on the sofa and put his head in his hands. His shoulder shaking told everyone he was crying.

Hodgins pulled Angela back while Cam went to sit by Booth.

"Seeley, what happened?"

Booth tried to tell Cam, but he was babbling like he was on drugs. It was obvious they had had one heck of a fight and whatever was said had him in shambles.

"Seeley, tell me where she is?"

After Booth told her, she turned to Wendel and ordered him to stay with Booth. "Make sure he cleans up and eats." Cam, Hodgins, and Angela were heading for a small motel in the middle of no where.

After the others filed out Wendel looked nervously towards the FBI agent. Booth was not in the mood for guests and he just glared at Wendel. Wendel swallowed hard and diverted his eyes. _He's going to kill me, Oh yeah he is definitely going to kill me._

* * *

><p>Brennan was wiping her face off, when she heard her door open. She turned and there stood Mrs. Tipton and Liv.<p>

Liv looked all business "Come on Tempe, get up, we have a date with a couple of horses."

Brennan looked confused "What?"

"We are going riding." Liv stated

"I don't think I can."

"Yes you can and you will. You don't have a choice, either you dress yourself or I will." Liv was now standing in front of her with her hands on her hips.

"I don't think I would be very good company."

"Tempe, I don't really care, but you have been in this bed too long, now get dressed."

Brennan nodded slightly and proceeded to get some cloths and went to take a shower.

The drive to Liv's house was quiet, Liv didn't ask any questions and Brennan didn't offer any information. They got the horses saddled, Liv added saddle bags to both horses, full of drinks and food. Once mounted, Liv headed for a trail that would take them deep into the woods where she was going to try to talk to her friend. She actually didn't know much about Tempe or her life before she arrived in their small town. But, she knew her friend was suffering and she was going to do anything she could to help. Even if that meant tricking her friend into giving up information about her past and finding a certain FBI agent and dragging him back against his will.

"Where are we going Liv?"

"We are going to ride a while, it is really beautiful here and about 4 hours in there is a waterfall and a nice area for a picnic."


	10. Chapter 10

Brennan had been gone a couple of hours when the gang arrived. They saw her car parked near the end of the small motel and Angela immediately ran to the room directly in front of the car. She knocked feverishly and when she did not get an answer she looked through the window. The room was in shambles; Angela thought she had been knocking on the wrong door until she saw the dolphin ring sitting on the table. _This is not like Bren, what has happened?"_

Cam was in the lobby talking to Mrs. Tipton when Angela entered. Cam turned to see Angela.

"Mrs. Tipton, this is Angela Dr. Brennan's best friend."

Mrs. Tipton smiled at her. "Nice to meet you dear."

Angela just nodded.

Mrs. Tipton invited them back into her small living area to talk. She knew Tempe wouldn't be back for a while so they had time. Maybe these people could shed some light on Tempe's world before she came there.

"Mrs. Tipton" Cam began "We are very worried about Dr. Brennan, what has occurred over the last month is beyond out of character for her. We are extremely concerned."

"You keep calling her Dr. Brennan. Who is she?"

Cam looked a little shocked. "Um, She is a forensic anthropologist, the best in the world…in fact, and she is also a best selling author." Brennan had not told them who she was.

"I had no idea." Mrs. Tipton smiled, "Here she is just Tempe."

Cam continued,"Dr. Brennan works for the Jeffersonian Institute. We have an agreement with the FBI. Her and Agent Booth work homicides. They are very good, her ability to find the answers in skeletons and his investigative skills make them the best."

"Well, she was pretty distant when she came here, but she seemed to be getting better until that Agent showed up. I am hoping you three can shed some light on that relationship."

"So Booth was here." Angela interrupted more as a statement than a question.

"Yes honey that was his name. Nice looking man. It is obvious he has feelings for Tempe."

Cam, Angela, and Hodgins looked at each other. Mrs. Tipton watched them exchange glances.

"Mrs. Tipton, what I am about to tell you is just our suspicions, neither of them will confirm those suspicions. They danced around each other for 5 years. Finally Booth told Brennan he wanted to give them a chance and she rejected him. The reason she rejected has to do with abandonment issues. She was abandoned by her parents when she was 15 and it has caused her to keep herself in check. But that is another story."

"Oh that poor child." Mrs. Tipton look visible upset by what she just learned about Tempe.

"Anyway" Cam continued "Booth said he had to move on and they both ran to opposite sides of the world, returning 7 months later, but Booth had brought a girlfriend with him." She continued on with the story and Mrs. Tipton was crying by the end.

"Oh, I would have never guessed it was so heartbreaking. My poor Tempe."

"Mrs. Tipton, I am sorry if we upset you, seems you and Bren have become close." Angela knelt by the elderly woman took one of her hands. "We are not sure what happened, but Bren has asked to resign her position at the Jeffersonian Institute. We saw Booth before we left, that is how we knew where she was. He is also a wreck. Can you please tell us what happened here?"

Mrs. Tipton relayed everything that happened from the time Booth arrived in their small town. She chuckled when she recalled Brennan slapping him in her defense. She told them how their fight was so painful to listen to, all the emotion between them. The hurt and pain in the eyes when they looked at each other and finally how Booth had agreed to leave, but only after he said his peace and told her he loved her. "I will never forget his face just before he pulled out, watching her almost begging her to look at him. When she wouldn't, he looked so defeated and he left. Tempe spent the next 2 days in bed, barely eating and doing nothing but crying or staring at the wall. She'd still be there if not for Liv dragging her out to ride. Liv would not take no for an answer."

Angela and Cam were crying at the end of the story and Hodgins was fighting the tears that were threatening his eyes. They had never seen Brennan is that shape, she usually could compartmentalize everything and go on. After they found what had happened they were more concerned than ever for her.

* * *

><p>Brennan was thankful for the quiet ride and just being able to feel the horse move and listen to the sounds of nature, but they didn't do much to improve how she was feeling. They had finally stopped and laid out the blankets they had tied to their saddles. Liv grabbed the saddle bags and started pulling out their lunch.<p>

"Okay Tempe, it is just you and me and the waterfall, time to tell me what is going on between you and Agent Booth?"

"Nothing is going on between me and Booth."

"Tempe don't give me that, have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look horrible and that happened after Agent Booth left. It plain to anyone that can see that you two love each other, so what is the problem?"

"It would not work. Booth and I are too different."

"Opposites attract, but you aren't opposites, you are more alike than you think. I can see that and I don't even know the man."

"No it is over. I will be fine it will just take time."

"Tempe, you are a stubborn woman and that stubbornness is going to cause you nothing but pain."

Brennan didn't answer; she just turned her attention to the waterfall. Liv also went silent and her look became very distant. Brennan turned to look at her friend and saw tears starting to fall.

"Liv I didn't mean to upset you. I am sorry. It is just that Booth and I…we…can't."

"Tempe I am going to tell you something, no one here knows. I came here 4 years ago, much like you I came to get over a broken heart. I wasted time and lost something precious."

Brennan just looked at her. _How could she possibly understand what I am going through?_

Liv closed her eyes took a deep breath and continued. "I was top in my class at Harvard." Brennan snapped her head towards Liv." Yes, I went to Harvard, and I passed the bar on the first try and was hired by one of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. I was going to be the youngest partner of this firm and nothing was going to get in my way. I meant Ed there" a slight smile crossed her face. "Oh Tempe, he was handsome, charming, sweet, sensitive, tough, and gentle. He was a Chicago police officer. We fought much like your Agent Booth and you. Everything between us was passionate. A relationship would have gotten in the way of my goal though, so we did this dance around each other for 3 years. Finally, I convinced him that we were from two different worlds, too different." She wiped the tears away.

"Liv you don't have to…"

"No you need to hear this. For the next 2 years we saw each other sporadically and every time, my heart went to my throat at the sight of him. God, I loved that man. Then one day he showed up with this beautiful woman, his wife. I tried for the next 6 months to continue, but all of the sudden no matter where I went I saw him, not literally, but in everyday life I saw him. I couldn't take it anymore and I left and I ended up here. I got word a year later he had been killed by a burglar. We could have had several years together or maybe he wouldn't have been there that particular night if him and I would have been together. I threw any years we could have had away, because I thought we were too different. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband, but I will never love anyone like I loved Ed. When he died part of me went with him. I will never forgive myself."

Brennan just stared at her friend sitting next to her crying, like this Ed had died just yesterday. Liv had never shared this with anyone and all the emotions she had locked away for so long were consuming her whole body. "Liv I had no idea."

"No one did. No one would have known about you if your Agent Booth hadn't shown up. Don't make my mistakes Tempe, you will regret them. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't apologize to Ed for making him go away."

The sat in silence for a long time, Liv figured Tempe needed to think and she needed to put her mind at ease before they started back.


	11. Chapter 11

Wendel didn't know who he was more fearful of, Cam or Booth. Booth was in a vile mood and had a gun, but Cam was his boss. He had went out and gotten some food and tried to get Booth to eat, but that only succeeded in having Booth threaten to shoot him. He did manage to get him to at least go shower and shave, but that didn't improve his mood either. This was turning out to be the longest day of Wendel's life and he just wanted to find the nearest hole and crawl into it. He about jumped out of his skin when Booth spoke.

"So how long do you plan on babysitting me?"

"Uh, until Cam tells me I don't have to?"

"What if I tell you to leave?"

"Agent Booth while I would be more than happy to, Cam is my boss and I really need this job. I would rather not get fired."

Booth just glared at him. "Cam won't fire you."

"I rather not put that theory to the test, if you don't mind."

Booth grabbed his phone and pushed the speed dial for Cam. He had enough being watched.

Cam looked at her cell and groaned. "It is Booth. This probably won't be good. Saroyan."

"Cam, call your babysitter off. Send Wendel home before I shoot him."

"Seeley no, you will not lie in that bed and wallow in self pity. Wendel will go home if you get off your butt and drive out here now."

"No, I won't, she made it clear." he snapped at her.

"As mud. Just as clear as you make yourself much of the time. You want to stay there fine, but Wendel will stay until I get back. And don't try to trick him and just drive around the block, he won't leave until I tell him to and I won't tell him too until you are standing in front of me, your choice big guy." She hung up on him.

Booth slammed his phone shut, he glared at Wendel. "Fine, but I don't have to talk to you." Wendel sank as deep as he could in the chair he was sitting in.

Cam took a deep breath. "Okay guys whatever we do we need to make some decision and fast, Booth is on the edge and we don't know when Brennan will be back.

"I say we kidnap both of them and lock them in a room somewhere until they work this out. Their relationship is exhausting." Angela snapped.

"I say we head back to DC for now, we don't want to cause Brennan to run again. You know how she gets when she has to face her feelings. And, if she sees us here we could be forcing our hand." Cam said.

"Cam, I think we need to talk to Booth, he is more reasonable then Dr. Brennan, sometimes that is." Hodgins interjected. "Just an idea."

"I think you are right." Cam agreed

They thanks Mrs. Tipton for time and information and the three of them headed back for DC.

* * *

><p>Liv and Tempe had returned from their ride. Tempe seemed subdued. Her thoughts were far from this little town. She had thought a lot about what Liv had said. She thought about all the times she thought she might never see Booth again.<p>

Liv drove her back the motel, gave her a hug and made her promise to be at her place for breakfast the next morning. Brennan closed the door after her friends car was out of sight and threw herself on the bed and cried.

Booth phone rang breaking the silence in his apartment. "Booth" his aggravation obvious

"Booth it is Sully."

"Yeah I noticed."

"Broadsky is back."

He now had Booth's attention. "What…Are you sure?"

"Booth he left flowers on Christine Brennan's grave."

"Bones' mother, that doesn't make any sense."

"There is more, there was a picture of a small motel in the flowers with the very end room circled."

"Bones"

"What?"

"He knows where Bones is. That motel we got from the trace, she is there. Sully you need to call there and tell her to get out of there. Call me back when you have done that."

"Wendel, get your boss on the phone now!" Booth headed off to get his rifle.

"Dr. Saroyan"

"Dr. Saroyan, Booth told me to get you on the phone, something about Dr. Brennan and he is upset. Hold on while I get him." Cam could hear him yelling for Booth. "I have Dr. Saroyan on the phone."

"Cam did you go see Bones?"

"No she wasn't there."

"So she has left."

"No, no, she was just out for the day. What is going on Seeley?"

"Broadsky is back and he knows where Bones is. Where are you?"

"We left an hour ago on the way back to DC, Why?"

"Cam, I know I shouldn't ask you this, but she needs to get out of that motel. Can you.."

Cam was already turning the car around. Everyone was confused and concerned by the look on Cam's face. "Already turned around. How do you know he knows…."

"He left flowers on Christine Brennan's grave with a picture of the motel and Bones' room circled. Sully is calling out there and Cam, are you armed?"

"Yes, but only a .38, I am sure I can find some fire power when I get there." Hodgins and Angela just looked at each other mouths opened.

"Cam, I am on my way, be careful."

"I'll see you when you get there Booth." Cam hung up

Hodgins was bracing himself as Cam was pushing the SUV to its limits. "Dr. Saroyan, what's going on? Why are you driving like you are possessed?"

"That was Booth, Broadsky is back, he left flowers on Brennans mother's grave and a picture of the motel with her room circled. We need to get her out of there. Sully is calling ahead, we don't know if Broadsky has the jump on us or not."

"Booth is coming right Cam?" Angela asked nervously as the SUV's tires squealed as Cam negotiated a rather tight curve.

"Yes he is, but even going as fast as he can, you can only cut off so much time on these country roads. We need to get her to a place that Broadsky can't get a clear shot at her and I am hoping someone knows of a place like that. I don't like being on unknown territory and Broadsky has probably had a month to get familiar with that area."

Booth told Wendel to go home and he was out the door. He had to get Broadsky before Broadsky got Brennan or someone else.

Sully called Booth back, he had told Mrs. Tipton, and he was also on his way, not sure how much help he could be against a sniper, but he wasn't letting Booth go it alone. He also had an HRT team on the way, but it would take them awhile and there was every possibility that it could be all over with by the time they got there. They were all going to meet at Stan's, not knowing the area, it seems as good of place as any.

"Booth, you realize this could all be a set up to get you right?"

"I know, but I have to go."

"I know, be careful. I don't think Tempe could take losing you."

"Yeah. Hey Sully…if something does happen, take care of her."

"Booth"

"Promise me"

"Sure, I promise."


	12. Chapter 12

Brennan had taken a shower and was standing by her bed wrapped in a towel, she had been holding up a t shirt and was looking at it when she dropped it, she bent over and heard the front window of the room shatter, she dropped herself to the floor, laying on her stomach, listening for anything and making a mental note of if all her body parts were working.

Her mind flashed to years earlier when Kenton tried to kill her outside of a small Italian restaurant and dropping her cell phone had saved her then. She was scared to move, but knew she needed to get to her phone.

Broadsky started searching with his scope. _Where did that shot come from? Frantically looking, there was another sniper out here, but where? He systematically moved his rifle around checking for this intruder. This other sniper had shot Brennan, he watched her drop, but he wasn't sure if they killed her. He checked the room again through his scope, no movement. _Then he felt pain tear through his leg, he had a bullet to the calf, the bone was shattered, then another shot, his rifle was disabled.

* * *

><p>Brennan had pushed herself around the wall to the small table and got her cell out of her purse on the chair, she stayed against the wall and pushed the all to familiar speed dial button.<p>

"Bones"

"Booth" _Why was her mind going fuzzy, why couldn't she think. She looked down and noticed the white towel was stained red. _Her voice barely a whisper "shot"_ And everything went black._

"Bones stay awake, talk to me, BONES!"

He had to hang up and warn Cam.

"Saroyan"

"Cam, Bones just called me, she sounded weak and I think she said "shot." Cam I can't tell you what to do."

"Just get here Seeley. Just get here, I will get to her. And tell those damn agents to step on it."

"Cam pulled up at Stan's, he eyes never leaving the steering wheel she ordered Angela and Hodgins out of the car. "Get an ambulance here, to wait. Dr. Brennan might have been shot and Broadsky is probably still close if not still staking out the room. Call Mrs. Tipton and tell her to say away from the window and not come out until one of us comes to get her. If I don't come back, do not come after me. When the FBI gets here tell them where I have went and to wait for orders from Booth." She turned to face them. "Understood?" Hodgins and Angela watched Cam drive away.

As Cam pulled into the area, she knew she was a sitting duck if Broadsky wanted to take her out. She accelerated and slid her car sideways in front of Brennan's motel. She rolled out of the driver seat, fired one shot into the lock of Brennan's door and went through the door, closing it with her foot. So far so good, no shots fired at her. Cam looked around the scene in shock, the amount of blood. Only one thing was missing, Brennan. There was a smear on the wall where it looks like she got out the bathroom window. She picked up her phone.

"Booth"

"Seeley, she isn't here. She's hurt, but she isn't here."

"What do you mean she isn't there Cam?" Panic was rising in Booth's voice.

"I am sorry Seeley."

"Maybe she isn't hurt to bad and she just got out."

"Seeley, she has lost a lot of Blood. I don't know how she got out of here alone with …" Cam took a deep ragged breath. "she has lost so much blood." Cam was fighting back tears.

"Booth punched the steering wheel and pushed the accelerator a little more, he had to get there, and he had to find her.

Booth went flying into the motel room when he arrived and staggered at what he saw. A white motel towel soaked through with blood, the bed with blood smears, blood on the rug, against the walls, and blood on the bathroom wall and window where she must have climbed out trying to get to safety. So much blood, too much blood. _"Oh god Bones."_

Cam put her hand on Booths's shoulder. "Hey"

He just stared out the open bathroom window. "Have they found anything?"

"No, we followed a blood trail about 100 yards down that path and then it just disappears. There are some hiking boot tracks, the impression they make look like they were made by someone carrying something heavy. But they vanish at the road."

Booth turned and went back in the room, he looked at where her cell was, where she had called him from. He imagined her there so weak and helpless. He ran his hand over the shirt lying on the dresser. He could hardly breath, she was hurt badly and no one knew where she was. Again she managed to vanish into thin air. He bolted from the room and headed for the office. When he got there he didn't wait for Mrs. Tipton to come up front he went straight back to her living area. "Mrs. Tipton, please if you know where she is, you have to tell me, she needs to go to a hospital and she needs to go now." His eyes were pleading with her.

When Mrs. Tipton's eyes meant his, he saw she had been crying just as hard. She didn't know where Bones was anymore than he did. Booth sank down on the sofa; he was fighting for control of his emotions.

Mrs. Tipton reached over and took his hand. "For what it is worth, she told me she loves you." Booth looked at her while his body was fighting spasms of sobs threatening to overtake him.

* * *

><p>The back door of Mrs. Tipton's slowly opened, Booth was on his feet, weapon drawn and leveled on a tall blonde woman, looked to be 18 to 20 years old. She showed both her hands. Booth was eyeing her, she was covered in blood. "Agent Booth, I can take you to Tempe."<p>

Booth flew into a rage, grabbing this young woman by the throat, "Who the hell are you and where is she?" he growled.

"Agent Booth I am a friend, you have to trust me, you don't have much choice. I can take you to her, but we have to hurry."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Agent Booth, You can trust her, I promise." Mrs. Tipton was saying "There is more to her than meets the eye, I have known her since she was born, you can trust her."

Booth reluctantly released the girl. He looked at Mrs. Tipton, then back to the girl. "I am trusting Mrs. Tipton." He looked hard at the young girl. "I find out you lied to me you will regret it."

Booth followed this girl out the back door, "The girl turned as they left. Mrs. Tipton, please don't tell anyone. It could kill Tempe, Agent Booth, and others."

The girl led Booth to an old shed behind the motel, once inside there was a hidden opening leading to an under ground tunnel. The girl handed Booth a flashlight. "What is this place?" Booth asked.

"It was built during Prohibition, to move booze."

They followed the tunnel for a while and it opened up in a lush field of wheat, well out of eye shot of the motel. As they emerged, Booth saw his Bones, being tended to by an older male, that he didn't recall seeing before. She was unconscious; he gently took her hand and stroked her hair. "Hold on Bones, hold on. Don't leave me. You fight, you don't give up. You hear me. He put his forehead to hers. I love baby, I love you."

The young girl and Bones guardian slipped away as the helicopter was landing. As soon as the helicopter was in the air, Booth was in the field all alone. Booth looked around, he had no idea where they went, and he never noticed them move, he was so wrapped up in his own relief that Bones was alive.


	13. Chapter 13

Cam watched the news helicopter land in a field and was not looking forward to having to field questions from the reporters that would soon be swamping the area. She was not looking forward to having to try to block views from the helicopters that would be criss crossing the sky soon.

After Booth re-appeared from motel lobby, Cam came to his side. "You okay?"

Booth gave her a sideways glance "Yeah, Yeah. I am fine."

Cam squared herself off with him. "Where were you?"

"I was in talking with Mrs. Tipton."

"No you weren't."

"Cam, you have to trust me."

Cam just stared at Booth as a young agent came running up. They found Broadsky with a gunshot wound to his leg and his rifle disabled by another shot.

Cam looked at the young agent. "His rifle was disabled?"

"Yes Ma'am, some of the guys said it looked like we might have another sniper."

Cam looked at Booth. "I see, isn't that interesting Seeley?"

After the younger agent left, Cam grabbed Booth arm and pulled him away from the crowd. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Cam you know I was driving out here when I called you, you know when I left. If there is another sniper it isn't me. You can check my rifle it is in the back of my SUV and has not been fired."

"So we have two snipers, one definitely bad and the other" she shrugs her shoulders "who is not you, is good, bad, what?"

"I don't know but they shot Broadsky."

"Okay so who shot Brennan?"

"I don't know Cam."

"Seeley Joseph Booth What are you hiding from me?"

He looked at Cam "Bones is on her way to a hospital."

"And you know this how?"

"I saw her."

"You saw her. You are telling me we are tearing this place apart trying to find her, trying to save her life and you saw…." She starred at Booth as she remembered the news helicopter taking off and heading back for Washington rather than trying to get aerial shots of the scene. "The news helicopter, she was lifted out of here by a news helicopter?" Booth just nodded. "Booth you need to turn yourself in. You are the only other sniper out here that could make the shots that were made."

"Cam?"

"No Seeley, I don't know of any other snipers that are here" Cam motioned with her hands in the air "in never never land except you and Broadsky. Broadsky is in custody. And you have to admit those shots have your name written all over them."

"Cam check my rifle, it has NOT been fired, you know it wasn't me." Cam nodded, she knew it wasn't Booth, but if it wasn't him, she was nervous. They now had another rogue sniper on the loose and lord knows when or if this one was going to fire again.

* * *

><p>Sully approached the two of them. Looking from Booth to Cam and back, he looked rather confused. "Do either of you know how Tempe got to a DC?" Cam and Booth just looked at each other.<p>

"Huh?" they both looked at Sully confused.

"I just got told of a news helicopter requesting to land on a helipad, said they had a critical gunshot victim aboard. That victim matches Tempe's description," she is alive." He looked at Booth, "Booth a bureau helicopter will be here shortly to take you back to her."

Booth just looked at the ground. "She probably wouldn't want me there, you go. Just call me with updates." Booth started to turn away.

"Booth man, I am sorry about this" Booth turned just as Sully's fist connected with his jaw. Cam was grinning. "Damn, I should have done that." Sully continued. "You know Booth it is no wonder you two never got together. Good God neither of you can get off 'the life of hard knocks' train long enough to let anything good happen to you. If you love her, get your butt on that helicopter and go to her." Booth just looked at him. "Make up your mind Booth, they can't wait all night. If I go, I am going to fight to earn her love back and this time I won't walk away from her."

Booth tossed the keys to his SUV to Sully and headed off to the field where the helicopter would be landing in. Sully stood next to Cam. "Whew, sure glad he didn't hit me back." Him and Cam looked at each other and chuckled.

"I need the keys to Booths SUV."

Sully smiled, I know I overheard. "Let's go." They opened the back of Booth truck and there sat the case for his rifle. Opening it, they saw the rifle had not been touched and obviously not fired. Booth was cleared, but who was the other sniper and why.


	14. Chapter 14

When the FBI helicopter touched down on the helipad, Booth was met by Charlie from his office. "Agent Booth come with me." Charlie led Booth through a maze of corridors, through the emergency department and then down some more corridors.

"Charlie, where the hell are you taking me?"

"Sorry Agent Booth, I was giving orders that you and Dr. Brennan were to not exist to this hospital. If anyone asks for either of you they will be told Dr. Brennan is deceased and you are not here."

"Okay, so now why don't you explain why?

"I am not sure on all the details, but they do not want anyone seeing either of you." Charlie opened a door to a hospital room that was off all on its own, no nurses' station, and two hospital beds. He opened a small door on the other side of the room to a small terrace with cement walls keeping prying eyes out. "Agent Booth only a select few people know where you are. Please do not leave, if you need anything you call and we will get it for you."

"So what you are telling me is I am a prisoner here?"

"Yes, no, you can leave, but right now not knowing who is out there and that they might be after you now, it is a precaution. Also Dr. Brennan is in no condition to be moved if they want to take another shot at her, so it is better if they think they succeeded."

"What about Cam and the squints, Charlie you have to tell them we are okay."

"Agent Booth, it would not…"

"I don't care what it is, you will make sure Cam, Angela, Hodgins and Sweets knows we are okay. You will not put them through that hell. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay so when do I get to see Bones or talk to a doctor."

"As soon as they finish, they will be bringing her here. There will be personal hospital staff assigned to her that will remain here 24/7 until she is released."

Booth nodded. He was already feeling like a caged animal. He turned on the TV and turned it to sports. "So Charlie, I ask you to go get something and you do it."

"Yes sir within reason."

"So can you go pick me up some Thai food, I am starved." Charlie left, Booth started trying to figure out if there was a way to come and go through the terrace, just as the door opened. Booth turned and leaned against the door jam of the door leading to the terrace. Booth eyes widened, "What are you doing here?" He clicked the TV off.

* * *

><p>Booth was wary when Stan walked in. "What are you doing here? How did you know where we…I…was?" Booth had his arms crossed and his hand resting under his jacket on his gun.<p>

"Agent Booth, I am retired FBI, have been for about 10 years. I was somewhat shocked when Dr. Brennan showed up in our town and didn't leave. I started pulling in some favors, just seeing why someone like her would get coming to our town."

"Okay, but that still doesn't tell me why you are here."

Stan walked to the door and opened it. "I am also ex military, an ex sniper."

Booth wanted nothing more than to tear this man apart limb by limb. His voice barely controlled "Are you telling me you shot her?"

As the gurney carrying a semi conscious Brennan came through the door. Stan looked at Booth and said, "Yeah, I shot her to save her life."

Booth glared at the other man as he waited for them to transfer Brennan to her bed. Once that was done he moved to her side, never letting his guard down. His voice soft and warm now, "Hey Bones"

Brennan gave him a silly weak drug induced smile "Booth, guess what?"

"What?"

"Come mere" she was motioning him closer "I got shot."

"I know Bones. How are you feeling?"

She gives him that silly flat laugh of hers. "I feel really good and really sleepy."

"Bones you rest a bit. I will be back in a second."

He motioned for Stan to follow him out on the terrace. "So why don't you explain to me how you came to the decision to shoot her?"

"Look I made a clean shot, I had no choice it was me shoot her or Broadsky was going to get you all. I couldn't pin point him and she was in the window. I knew if I took the shot she would survive and Broadsky would think she was dead. The confusion gave me time to pinpoint where he was. I didn't see a choice. Unless of course you are okay with collateral damage, in this case it being her?"

Booth had to admit he had a point. "I saw the blood in that room."

"Have them test it, most of that is pigs blood, we just used it to try to make it more convincing to keep her safe."

"Who was the girl that came and got me and the older guy that was with Bones?"

"That was my niece; I knew I could trust her. The man is a doctor out of New York. He is one of the best trauma surgeons around. I served in the military with him. He owed me a favor. I know your next question is she looked like she was on her death bed. She did pass out in the room before we got to her. She did lose more blood than I had hoped, but it was a through and through and nothing vital was hit. You guys were moving in too fast, you got the wheels spinning too fast. We didn't expect you to send back Dr. Saroyan, so I had to do what I had to do to keep everyone alive."

"What do you mean we got the wheels spinning too fast?"

"Cell phones are not as private as some might think. We knew you sent Dr. Saroyan back. If Dr. Saroyan would have driven up there like she did or with her friends. We would have had at least 2 dead before I could have found Broadsky and got a shot off. This way we have none dead and he is in custody."

Booth, no matter how much he wanted to argue with logic, had to admit what happened had probably saved her life. It was a clean shot, she would be sore for a while and limited in some things she could do, but she is alive because of what this man did.

"Agent Booth, if I could have done it any other way, I would have. But, I think sniper to sniper, you know I didn't have a choice."

Booth nodded, "You're right. You had no choice. I didn't realize he was that close when we started moving. How did you get a handle on him?"

Stan laughed, "The town our size, one stone is moved and we noticed. We notice someone lurking around. He had shown up right after Tempe and he stood out, by trying not to. Well, I need to get back home, tell Tempe I will see her later."


	15. Chapter 15

Right after Stan left Charlie came back in with Thai food.

"Mmm I smell Thai, Booth I am hungry."

"You are stoned and you get Jello."

She tried her best pout on him and that didn't work. She tried to open her mouth to protest and Booth stuck a mouth full of Jello in it.

"Booth, Aren't I mad at you?" she was starting to fall asleep from the medication

"I don't know Bones are you?"

"Mhm, I told you to go away. But you came back and you told me you love me."

He just watched her, not sure if he should be talking to her about this in her state.

"Booth"

"Yeah Bones."

"I decided I love you too. Good night." she mumbled as she was falling asleep.

A sad smile crept up on his face. He sat back and looked over at her sleeping form. _I love you too Bones. _He knew she probably wouldn't remember she said it in the morning, but for right now he could enjoy it.

"Hey Charlie, could you find out when they think Bones can be released so I can take her home. She would be much happier in her apartment than here."

"Um...Uh...well you see, you can't go home just yet."

"I get that, she has been shot they need to keep her for observation, just a ball park would be fine."

"I am under orders that neither of you can leave until you talk."

"About what."

"I don't know sir; they said you and her knew." Charlie was getting nervous "I need to go. I will check in with you in the morning. Bye" Charlie got out the door as fast as he could.

Booth went and checked the door and it was locked from the outside. "Oh Come on you have got to be kidding me."

Brennan woke up to Booth holding her hand; her gasping for air woke him up. "Booth, Where are we?"

"Bones we are in the hospital, remember? You were shot. You had a bad dream, you are safe, and I am here."

"I was." Her eyes darted around. "Booth, Broadsky was shooting at me like at an arcade and I had to turn before the bullet could hit me. I didn't turn fast enough."

"Shh, it is okay, you are safe. Broadsky is in custody. He can't get you."

She nodded. He watched her hand go to her side.

"Hey you hurting?" She nodded. He paged a nurse who came and administered her some morphine.

Booth stayed with her while he watched her eyes glaze over and she gave him that drug induced smile. "Better?"

"Oh yeah babies."

"That is 'Oh yeah baby,' not plural, just one baby."

"But what if I want more babies with you?" her glazed eyes locked on his.

"Okay Bones, time for you to try to sleep again." Booth moved back to his bed.

"Booth?"

"What"

"Can you move your bed closer?"

"Bones I do…."

"Please, so I know you are close."

_Just give in Booth, she is high and scared, you can't win this. If you want any sleep just move the damn bed._ "Sure, I'll move it"

He got into bed after moving it. He felt her small hand creep over and grasp his. She had seemed to relax when he moved the bed and quit trying to fight the affects of the medication and fell instantly to sleep.

He turned on his side and watched her for a long time. Thank god she was okay. He had promised her he would leave her alone and he would keep that promise, as soon as she was better. He closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep. His dream was a fun house of sadness. He would turn a corner and there she was smiling telling him she loved him, the next, she would be crying and telling him it hurt too much to love him. Then she just couldn't do it anymore and having her backing away into an impenetrable darkness.

He woke with a jolt and breathing hard, his hand still grasping hers. He looked at her, she was still asleep and hadn't moved. He slowly removed his hand from hers and got up to get some water. He sat there in the bathroom, she was going to be okay, and there was no need for him to sit with her day after day. Broadsky was in custody, so they were out of danger. Not like she needed or wanted him.

She screamed. He jerked open the bathroom down and found her standing by her bed, her gown caught on something. She was screaming and pushing at some invisible force trying to free herself. He freed her gown and then caught her arms so she couldn't hit him. He pulled her to him and moved his mouth as close to her ear as he could. She was struggling in her attempt to get free. "Shh Bones, you are safe, it is okay, I am right here." He repeated the saying until she woke up and looked at him. "You are safe Bones." She collapsed against his chest and grabbed a hold of him for dear life.

"Don't leave me Booth, please don't leave me," Her voice cracking in her throat.

He closed his eyes. "I am right here Bones."


	16. Chapter 16

She refused any pain meds and tried to go back to sleep. Booth watched her helplessly as she grimaced in pain somewhere in between being awake and asleep. He finally couldn't take it anymore, and would put up with any wrath she threw at him. He pushed the nurses' button and the nurse came in with a shot of morphine for her.

Brennan opened her eyes as the nurse was giving her the shot, she looked at Booth. "Why?' Almost sounded like she was accusing him of something.

A pang of guilt tugged at him. "Bones, you are in pain, a lot of pain. I can't watch you hurt like that." His eyes watched hers as they went from confusion and hurt to her special drug induced happy hour.

"Feel better?"

"Mhm."

"Good," He watched her fall asleep and after a while he laid back on his bed and was dozing off when he felt eyes on him. He opened his eyes and jumped "Bones! Geez."

She was leaning on the metal rail of his bed staring at him, not a foot from his face. "Oh good you're awake."

"Only because you were staring at me, do you need something?"

"Mhm"

"Okay…What do you need Bones?" Leaning back on his elbows, looking her straight in the eye.

"Just looking."

He gave her a confused look. "Looking at what."

"You" As if that explained it all

"Me?"

She slowly climbed up on his bed, He shifted to his side so she could lay down flat. She snuggled her head under his chin. "I like to watch you; I watch you a lot when you don't know that I am watching you." They just stared at each other for a moment. "Booth I..I.." she leaned in and boldly captured his lips with hers.

As soon as their lips met Booth was intoxicated. He moved his hand to cup her face and laced his fingers in her hair. She moved her hand to rest it lightly on his stomach; the electricity it sent through his body brought him back to the here and now. He pulled back from her, resting his forehead against hers. "Not this way bab… Bones, Not this way."

"Can I sleep here?"

"Sure, he wrapped his arms around her while she drifted off to sleep."

"BOOTH! Wake up BOOTH!" His eyes flew open. He blinked several times while his eyes tried to adjust to the light. "What?"

"Why are we in the same bed?"

He groaned, _how_ _the hell was he going to explain this one_. "I don't know, you were there, and then you kissed me, and I don't know you ended up here. Is it really that horrible Bones?"

"I kissed you?"

"Yeah, you did. You think I am lying to you?"

"You didn't kiss me back?"

"Bones, I…yeah… at first I kissed you back and then I remembered you were only kissing me because you are on drugs. You would never kiss me like that otherwise ... Remember you hate me." He pushed himself out of the bed and went to the terrace to calm down. He shouldn't have said that. _I don't need this complication. I don't need this aggravation. _"God, what did I do to deserve to find a woman like that, a woman that is all I ever wanted and everything I can't have. I have tried to live good, to be a good person, is it to much to ask to just be loved in return for once?" Booth sat down in a chair and put his head in his hands.

After probably an hour Booth walked back into the room, the nurse was about to give Tempe another dose of morphine when he spoke. "Could you not give her that, please?" The nurse looked at him confused. "It causes her to hallucinate and she tends to not remember how she behaves, I hope you have something else that can be just as effective without the side effects." He glanced at Bones and walked into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>On the 3rd day after Brennan being shot Booth was coming out of the bathroom just as Charlie arrived.<p>

"Agent Booth, how are you?"

He grabbed Charlie by the arm and pulled him out to the terrace. "You want to know how I am; I am not good at all. I am stuck in here for no reason. Broadsky is in jail, we know who shot Bones and why. She is safe. There is no reason for me to stick around. So when you leave this morning, I leave with you."

"Agent Booth"

"No, I am leaving today. I can't do this; she does not want me here. She is healing fine and I am sure you can find an agent to watch the door if you really feel that is necessary."

"So I guess you two haven't talked."

"If you consider listening to her drug induced babbles talking, then yes we have talked, otherwise no. I want to go home and I am going home today."

Charlie went back in and got a list of items Dr. Brennan was requesting he bring back for her. "Booth are you going to have Charlie bring you back anything?"

"No" he turned and looked out the door to the terrace.

Charlie was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Okay Dr. Brennan, I will be back later with your list."

Booth stopped by the door, "I am going too bones, I hope you feel better really soon."

She saw the pain in his eyes. "Booth, I thought you were … Where are you going?"

He smiled weakly at her. "Hey you don't need me protecting you ... remember, you tell me that all the time. You are safe here; you will be back to your old self soon." He couldn't look at the hurt in her eyes anymore, the turned and went out the door.

"Charlie." She stopped him before he got out the door.

"Yes Ma'am."

"You knew he was leaving."

"Yes, he sort of threatened me if I tried to stop him."

"I see. Thank you." As soon as Charlie closed the door, she broke down in tears. The pain in her sobs reached through the doors to Booth.

He closed his eyes and looked down at the ground, his jaw tensing fighting his own emotion. _Why was she crying like that? _Resting his head against the door he wanted to go to her and hold her and tell her it would be okay. If he did he would just have to leave tomorrow when she put the knife in his heart again and twisted it. _You love her; you always fall for the impossible dream. She might love you, but she will never let herself feel it much less admit it. This is for the best. Can't live for drug induced confessions. _ He pushed off the door, put his hand against it. "Bye Bones," he turned his back and walked away.


	17. Chapter 17

Once Brennan got her sobs under control, she sat there in shock. She didn't understand. _She thought of the times he had told her he loved her and all the times she pushed him away. But she wasn't pushing him away now, why did he do this? She could have stopped him, 3 words and she could have stopped him. _ She tried to convince herself that it was better this way, but she wasn't feeling any better. She wanted to leave now and go home, but the home she was thinking of was not her condo. It was a small motel room in a tiny town in the middle of no where.

She rang the nurse's buzzer and asked for a phone. She called her publicist to get her cell phone replaced; she had no idea where the old one was. She called her doctor and left a message, she wanted to be released rather than be sitting here trying not to think about Booth. The last call she placed was to Sully. She told him that Booth had left and that she was making arrangements to leave soon too. Sully was playing it cool, but she could tell he was concerned she was leaving the hospital too soon.

"Sully, I am healthy and while I still have issues I am perfectly capable of handling this in an outpatient setting. And, I just need to get out of here."

"Do you want me to come get you?"

"No, I just wanted you to know I would be checking out."

"You will be at home."

"Yes, I will."

Her doctor gave her some prescriptions for pain and antibiotics. She thanked them for all they did and even humored her doctor by using the wheel chair. Her publicist greeted her and ushered her to a long white limo. As they got in she handed Tempe a new phone and told her she had packed her a bag in the back. Brennan just nodded and stared out the window. After dropping her publicist off near her office, the white limo pulled away and Brennan knew she was heading home. As they left the DC, she called Mrs. Tipton to let her know she was on her way. Just knowing she was heading back to the small town relaxed her some.

Mrs. Tipton was a little sad when she saw Tempe was alone. But she smiled big at seeing the young woman that she had worried about. She carefully hugged her when she got out of the limo. Her Tempe was home.

* * *

><p>"Booth"<p>

"What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened?"

"Tempe is checking herself out of the hospital and going home that is what is happening."

"Sully, when did she do this?"

"She just called me, so knowing Tempe she is walking out the door as we speak."

"Where is she going?"

"She said home."

"Okay, I will go talk to her."

"Booth, why did you leave?"

"Sully it doesn't matter?"

"Yeah it does. She loves you, she has loved you forever. She and I had something special, but it is you she loves. You have the power to make her the happiest woman on the face of this earth or to destroy her."

"She sure has a funny way of showing it Sully. She isn't the only one hurting here."

"Have you told her?"

"I have told her ever way I know how and she kicks me in the gut every time. I finally got the hint."

"Booth tell her again and don't let her push you away, no matter how hard she pushes, push back, it will be worth it. I promise."

Booth disconnected the call and pulled on his jeans. Once in the SUV he decided if they were alone at her place, he would give it one last try.

Booth walked into the lobby of her building. David the door man greeted him. "Wow, Agent Booth, I haven't seen you in a while, you visiting someone here?"

He looked at David a little confused. "Yeah Dr. Brennan."

"Oh she is back, When did she get back?"

"She should have arrived here with in the last hour."

"Sorry Sir she isn't here."

"You are sure?"

"Yeah."

"Get me an extra key; I need to check her place."

"If she hasn't given…"

"David now! She just got out of the hospital and if she is in there and needs help I don't think you want to be the guy refusing her that help." David swallowed hard and handed Booth the key.

Booth checked her new apartment room for room; it was obvious no one had been there probably since the movers. _Sully did say she was going home right?_

"Sullivan"

"Sully you said she was going home right?"

"Yeah, I asked her if she was going home and she said yes."

"She isn't here; no one has been here in a while."

"Booth you don't think."

"That she went back to Mayberry. Yeah, I think that is exactly what she did. I am going to drive out there."

"Booth that is a 3 hour drive."

"I don't care."

"Good Luck"


	18. Chapter 18

Mrs. Tipton settled Tempe in the room right next to the main office. Her old room was locked up for now. It was going to have to be gutted and redone. Shortly after Tempe arrived back seems the whole town was showing up to check on her. Mrs. Tipton finally was kicking everyone out. She could tell Tempe was very tired and needed rest.

After everyone left, she checked Tempe's bandage, got her meds out and made sure she took them and got her to lie down. She sat with her until Tempe was asleep and then she quietly left the room.

As she left the room a very familiar SUV pulled in. She smiled as she recognized the man that stepped out of it. As he got out of the SUV and looked at her, she held her finger to her mouth and then pointed to the office and he nodded.

"Agent Booth, How are you?"

"Well, that depends on what you tell me."

"She is here; I put her in the room you stayed in. She is sleeping now."

"Thank God."

"Did something happen."

"She checked out of the hospital against medical advice."

"That is not what I mean and you know it."

He looked at the woman not sure how to explain their relationship. "Mrs. Tipton, I love her, I have loved her since the day I set eyes on her. With the way she is and the way I am I never got around to telling her and when I tried, it scared her and she ran, I ran. Maybe we missed our moment, I don't know."

"Poppy Kosh, she loves you, she has said she loves you. She is afraid you are too different."

He chuckled, "When they gave her morphine, I think it made her lose some of her inhibitions about love; because that was the only time she told me things that Bones would not say. But she also never remembers saying them when the morphine wore off. So is she actually saying it of her own free will or because morphine is like a truth serum." Mrs. Tipton could see the hurt he was carrying around. "I love her, but I can't keep doing this, it is destroying both of us."

"Don't do anything tonight, rest; things will look better in the morning." She was going to get him a key to the room next to Brennan's when they both heard a scream come from her room.

Booth was at Mrs. Tipton's side, "Key?" she pointed to the small box under the front counter.

Booth got the key and hurried into Brennan's room. She was thrashing around on the bed like she was restrained. "Bones, it is okay. I am here." Booth slowly started to move towards the bed and her eyes were on him. But they didn't see him. "Bones, come on its Booth, wake up." As he sat on the edge of the bed, she tried to struggle away. Booth made one smooth movement, scooping Brennan up in his arms. Holding her close while he whispered in her ear that she was safe and he was there until she calmed down.

Brennan woke up. "Booth, What are you doing here?"

"You know following you, so you don't vanish after you leave the hospital against medical advice."

"I am not going anywhere Booth."

"You told Sully you were going home and guess what? You are not at home."

"You left the hospital too."

"Me leaving has nothing to do with it, I am not the one that was shot."

"You left me."

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, NO you will not pull that one on me. I was there the whole time. I was there when you had you drug induced revelations and then put up with the fall out the next day. I was trying to get to you when I found out Broadsky wanted to kill you. I was here when I thought you were dying, begging you to live because I loved you. I was there to tell you I loved you only to have you shoot me down over and over. I finally got the hint Bones. I didn't leave you. I was leaving to stop us from hurting each other repeatedly. Then I get a call that you left the hospital and so here I am making sure you are okay and bracing for the next knife that will twist in my heart."

"What do you mean drug induced revelations."

Booth smirked, "Just that. When you take morphine, let's see. You love me, you want to have my 'babies', Oh and my favorite you kissed me. As soon as it wears off you forget all that. So yeah it can get a little frustrating and hurtful. I have been there for 6 years, hoping you would come to your senses, and when you do I am with someone else. When her and I break up I was confused. I should have been heart broken ... right? ... I was hurt, but all I could think about was you. I actually thought I had overcome it until Hacker wanted to know why I wanted to find you so bad. Then I had to face it. I never stopped loving you, I never got over you, I never moved on.

She sat there for a while rolling over in her mind what he said.

"Bones, you need some rest, I am going to go now and I will check on you later."

"He kept the key to her room and went to settle into his room."

Mrs. Tipton just stood there and starred at Tempe.

"Mrs. Tipton is there something wrong?"

"Yes."

"Tempe was getting a little uncomfortable under the older woman's gaze."

"Is it something I can help with?"

"Yes"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Are you going to listen this time?"


	19. Chapter 19

"I don't understand."

"Do you love Agent Booth."

"We are partners, he is my fr…"

"Tempe, answer the question." Mrs. Tipton's tone caused Tempe to startle; she brought her eyes up to meet the older woman's.

"I…I…"

"Tempe did you not hear a word Liv said to you on that trail ride. Are you not listening to your own heart? How long do you think he is going to stick around?"

Brennan just starred at her "You..I…"

"No, Tempe, no excuses, you have what ever woman in the world wants and you are throwing it away. This is your last chance, if you let him go this time he won't be coming back." Mrs. Tipton let it sink in. "Last chance Tempe, you want him you do something about it, tomorrow will be too late." Mrs. Tipton sometimes forgot how literal Tempe was, now meant right now, tomorrow actually meant tomorrow. But if it got her to wake up and do what needed to be done, so be it. Mrs. Tipton turned to leave and put a key to his room on the table as she walked out the door. She turned to look at Tempe, motioned at the key. "Just in case."

Tempe sat in her bed and starred at the wall lost in thought. On the other side of the wall, Booth was leaning against his headboard shaking his head. There he was again chasing her around like a love sick teenager. _Booth you need to stop this. Can't keep doing this. Can't keep loving something you can't have. Can't get over it unless you get away from it. _

Mrs. Tipton's words came back to her. _If you love something set it free, if it comes back it is yours, if it doesn't it never was. _Then she heard Mrs. Tipton's voice, although she wasn't there. "_You have allowed him to be free and he has come back time and time again. He is yours; you just have to reach out for him. He has set you free and he is waiting to see if you come back. This is your last chance Tempe, swallow that pride and go tell him."_

Tempe got up off her bed, the burning in her side was returning. She looked at her pills and decided against them, she needed to be somewhat lucid to talk to him so he would believe her.

She stood outside his door for a long while, trying to form words in her head. She was just raising her hand to knock when the door came opening causing her to jump slightly.

"Bones?"

"Can I come in?"

Booth searched her eyes; she looked like a school girl, scared and very unsure of herself. "Sure, Bones, come in. Have a seat."

She slowly eased herself down into a chair, her side was burning more than normal or maybe Booth had keep up on her pain meds enough she just didn't feel it that much.

"Bones, have you taken you medication."

"Not yet."

"Let me go…"

"No, I need to be lucid for this."

"Lucid for what?"

She motioned to the other chair for him to sit, he sat down and she starred at him, the floor, the window, her hands, and finally she raised her eyes to his. "Booth, I…"

"Bones, why don't you let me take you back to your room, so you can rest? We can talk tomorrow."

"NO, Tomorrow will be too late."

"What, why?"

"You will leave and won't come back tomorrow."

"Bones, you aren't making any sense. I am not going anywhere."

"You came back over and over and tomorrow you won't"

"Okay that is enough, the pain is causing you to be confused."

"No, Booth please….listen…" Her eyes begging with him to know what she was trying to say. "I don't want you not to come back. I would miss you. I need you."

Booth just starred at her. "Bones, what, where did this come from?"

She bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. In a voice that was almost inaudible. "I lo ... love you" She held her breath. Booth froze and just looked at her. _She said it, she really said it. Why did she say it? After all this time and her pushing me away. Why? _

Booth slowly moved off his chair to kneel in front of her. "Bones look at me." Hesitantly she raised her eyes to meet his, she was afraid of what she might see in them. What she did see was warmth and love. She felt safe when she looked into his eyes.

"Booth you aren't leaving tomorrow are you?"

"No Bones, I won't leave tomorrow."

Panic rose in her "Or the day after that?"

"Bones, I am not going anywhere." He didn't understand where this fear in her was coming from.

She grabbed onto his shirt "Ever?"

"Bones, calm down, I have always been here."

"But, will you always be here"

"You are not making any sense" He stood and started to help her up "You need to get some rest."

He helped her to her feet and protectively put an arm around her to get her back to her room. He put her in bed and gave her a pain pill, kissed her forehead and left. After he left she spit the pain pill out. _Why is it so hard to tell him?_

She sat up and there by the door was her mother. _You don't tell him because you are scared, you are scared you will love him and he will leave you, like your father and I did. Tempe we left because we loved you, because we wanted you to live. Was it right or wrong? I don't know, but we did what we had to for you. He loves you, he would die for you. Don't be scared, open up to him, it will be worth it, I promise. _Tempe blinked and looked around.

"She got up, took a deep breath. Tomorrow would be too late."

As she opened the door, there was Booth at the door to his SUV. "BOOTH!"

"Bones, why aren't you in bed?"

She was holding onto the doorway, the pain in her side was considerably worse, but he needed to hear her this time. "Dammit Bones," he gently picked her up and carried her back towards her bed.

Before he went to lay her down, she moved her hand to his face turning his head towards hers. "Kiss me Booth."

"What?"

Her eyes locked on to his, she ran her thumb over his lips "Kiss me."

He shook his head, Bones not when you are on drugs.

"I'm not, I spit it out."

"Bones," he was shaking his head. "As much as I want…"

"She pushed her lips to his cutting off his objection." As her brain shut down and all her senses took over she pulled away long enough "I love you Booth." He pulled back and starred at her, searching her face. "Booth, please say something."

"Why … wha ... when ... You sure?"

She nodded

Taking a deep breath he forced out "We will talk about this tomorrow Bones." He could see she was in considerable pain, he got her another pain pill, "Bones, swallow this one, please." She nodded and like a good patient took her pill. She even opened her mouth to show him she has swallowed it.

He sat there and watched as the pain pill took effect and she started to relax. He went to get up and her hand gasped his forearm. He turned and looked at her. "Bones, I am right here. I am not going anywhere."

"You promise?"

"I promise, I will be here. We will talk tomorrow."

She nodded and started to pull him to her. "Stay here with me."

He wrapped her up in his arms "I am right here. I am not going anywhere." He held her while she molded her body to his. He sucked in air, closed his eyes and swallowed hard as she moved her head under his chin. The smell of her hair, the feeling of her relaxing against him and fall into a peaceful sleep.

_Yeah Booth that is the way to walk away from her. Why the hell did she have to tell me she loved me? Did she love me? Or, is it another knife into my heart? Or was it a horrible dream and he would wake up alone?_ Gently he kissed her on top of the head and stared at the ceiling


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning Booth woke with her body molded to his. Slowly and cautiously he untangled himself from her, not really sure how she would react to him being next to her. A replay went through his mind of waking up next to her in the hospital. He had to stretch his back and figured this would be a good time to go out and get them some breakfast from Liv's.

He went back to his room to make that call to Liv's for food. He might have gotten the food faster if he would have driven down there and cooked it himself. Liv was ecstatic that he was there and wouldn't stop talking. "LIV, surprise me with something for Breakfast for us, clear liquids for Bones, and I will be there to pick it up okay?"

He grabbed his small bag and was going to put it in Bones room, but didn't want to chance waking her, so he tossed it in the SUV and headed for Liv's.

He called Sully while he was on the way.

"She is here Sully and she is fine."

"And"

"And What"

"Did you tell her?"

"Not exactly"

"Sully it is hard to explain, she was babbling."

"Tempe babbling?"

"I know, I know, but she was, she went all girl on me last night." He smiled "She told me she loved me."

"And"

"And what."

"Did you tell her back?"

"No, not last night, but I have told her over and over in the recent past."

"You are a lost cause Booth. Glad you found her; see if you can hang on to her and we'll see you when you return from Hicksville." Booth tossed his cell on the passengers' seat, as he pulled into the parking lot at Livs.

Booth was fielding one thousand and one questions from Liv. He looked to her husband for help and just got a smile and a shake of his head. He barely knew these people but they seemed so vested in his and Bone's relationship. It was kind of cute even if he didn't want to admit it.

Brennan woke up a smile on her face. She looked at the bed where he was and smiled. "Booth?" She looked towards the bathroom door, it was open, and he wasn't there. "Booth?"

She pulled herself off the bed, trying to quell the panic rising in her chest. She opened the door. The SUV was gone. Her breathes were coming faster. _He said he would be here, he wouldn't leave. Note, he must have left a note. _She ran back to her room and looked all over, no note. Tears started down her face, panic rising in her throat, she grabbed her cell and called him. "Come on answer, please, please." **Special Agent Seeley Booth, I am unable to answer you call at this time, please leave a message. **Her heart sank, he was gone. She waited too long and he was gone. She sank down onto the floor in her room, arms crossed over her stomach as the pain overwhelmed her. Not the pain from her physical injury, the pain of losing him. The pain she always said didn't exist. Her heart was breaking, it was real pain, and it was an all consuming pain.

Brennan never heard the door open. Booth opened the door to Brennan on the floor quietly sobbing. He dumped the sacks of food onto the table and he knelt behind her. "Bones? Come on Baby, look at me." He gently took a hold of her shoulders to turn her towards him. "Babe, listen to me, calm down."

Her mind finally registering he was there she flipped her body towards his, ignoring the pain from her side. "Booth?"

"Yeah, I am right here."

"You promised and I couldn't find you, you didn't answer your cell."

"I only went and got breakfast." It started to register what she was saying, "Bones, I only went to get food." _Okay, tell her again, deep breath, exhale, here is comes, spit it out moron. _"Bones, I love you. You are stuck with me." _Breath, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Crap, she is just staring at me._

"You love me?"

"I have loved you from the first moment I saw you. Just my timing in tell you sucked."

"I have sort of made a fool out of myself haven't I?" she looked at her hands.

He smiled at her. "Anyone who has been in love has at one time or another made a fool out of themselves. Let's eat, we can talk after."

"What did you bring?"

"I don't know, I couldn't get Liv to be quiet long enough to take an actual order, so they surprised us. But anything that looks like broth you get. I don't want you eating to much heavy stuff just yet.

"Booth!"

"Don't Booth me; you are the one that left the hospital against orders and made me chase you. Until a doctor tells me otherwise, you get clear liquids."

After they ate, Booth cleaned up. "Bones, how are you feeling?"

"Sore, tired, relieved, happy, scared, and some emotions that I have no clue what they are. How about you?"

"About the same as you."

"So, what do we do from here?"

"We talk…a lot. But, Bones, there is something you have to promise me."

"What?"

"If you ever doubt my feelings you have to talk to me. You have a way of misinterpreting things. If you get confused you have to talk to me, you can't just run."

"Okay." She answered matter of factly.

He moved to her. "No, Bones, this is serious, not just okay, you really understand, you have to trust my love for you and talk to me about anything."

"I understand Booth."

Staring into her eyes, he stroked her hair; he kissed her, gently at first, then with more passion. He finally pulled away from her breathing hard, both their faces flush. "Bones, you felt that?" She nodded "Don't ever doubt that feeling, ever."

"I won't Booth."

"Now it is time for you to rest." He led her to the bed and lay down with her. She was able to fall asleep without pain meds, which was a step in the right direction. He just held her while she slept; a slow smile crept across his face. _She loves me. My Bones finally loves me. _

She slept for a couple of hours. Booth smiled as she started to stir. She wrinkled her nose as she stretched. She opened her sleep heavy eyes to his very amused ones. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." He laughed.

She snuggled closer to him. "How long was I asleep?"

"A couple of hours, but you did it without any pain pills, which is good."

"Booth do you think I am strong enough for a walk."

"That depends?"

"I just want to show you a couple of places."

"If you start hurting or get to tired, we turn back, no argument."

"Yes Sir" she gave him a small flimsy salute.

He groaned at her as he helped her off the bed. As they were leaving the room Mrs. Tipton was sitting outside in a chair and she smiled at the couple.

"Okay dear where are we going?" Booth grinned at her as he reached for her hand.

She pointed across the street towards the old school house. "Bones, that is where we got Broadsky at. You know that right?"

She froze, "No, I didn't know that. I was thinking about restoring it or renovating it and making a home out of it. I like it here."

That kind of caught Booth off guard. "You want to live out here?"

"I thought of it before…us…I love it out here. I could love living here. What do you think? Don't you like it out here?"

"I love it out here, but it is 3 hours from DC. We have our jobs."

She smiled, "You do, I quit. But, that doesn't mean we couldn't do it. It could be a weekend or vacation home or maybe sometimes I could stay here to write while you worked back in DC."

He held up his hand and grabbed his cell. "Cam, have you turned in Bone's resignation yet? He kept his eyes on hers. "No ... Well Bones, Cam hasn't turned it in yet. Does she make it disappear or what?" She starred at him, bit her lower lip and nodded. "Cam destroy it."

He put his arms around her, pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you baby. You want a house out here, we will find one, build one, or" he looked up at the old school house, "renovate one, whatever you want." He pulled her body to his; she could feel shock waves travelling through her from every point their bodies had contact. He kissed her, till she was weak in the knees and gasping for air.

Putting her arms around his neck, "Why Agent Booth, are you coming on to me? I am not sure if that is appropriate behavior between an agent and a consultant."

He shot her the Booth grin. "Oh honey, you haven't seen anything yet, you just wait until you are healed up. I will show you inappropriate."

The walk to the small school house had drained her. He effortlessly picked her up and carried her back to their motel. After putting her in bed, he kissed her. "Bones, you need to sleep and I want to talk to Mrs. Tipton about houses in the area. We can go look at a few here and there as you feel up to it." He kissed her lips again. "Promise me one thing."

"What is that Booth?"

"Promise me that you know I will be coming back? Promise me that you will not panic?"

"Booth that is two things."

"Bones"

She giggled at him. "I promise ... and I love you."

Booth was beaming at that statement. "Okay enough inflating of my ego, I need to leave or I will not be able to fit through the door."

"I don't understand."

He laughed, "I will explain it to you later baby."

"Don't call me baby" she yelled at him as he was exiting the room.

"Okay Babe." He closed the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Brennan woke up late in the afternoon, glancing around the room. Booth was not there. Instant panic started to rise from her belly. Then she heard his words in her head.

"_Promise me that you know I am will be coming back? Promise me that you will not panic?" _ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Trust in him."

She checked her wound and gave herself a sponge bath. After applying a fresh bandage and dressing she headed for Mrs. Tipton's. She hadn't talked to the lady since Booth had arrived and she missed their chats.

Mrs. Tipton was giddy to see her. She loved Tempe as if she was one of her own and when Booth had told her Tempe wanted to live out there, it made her even happier. She had told Booth of properties in the area. Most that were for sale needed a lot of work, they had set vacant so long that time and lack of love took the toll on the structures.

Brennan was starving and figured with Booth gone she could get some solid food. Little did she know that Mrs. Tipton was in cahoots with him and would only allow her to have clear broth. She looked annoyed at Mrs. Tipton. Mrs. Tipton just smiled at her, "Sorry, dear that doesn't work on me." Brennan sighed and crossed her arms.

After another hour Booth still wasn't back and she was starting to worry. She didn't think he would be gone that long, the area was not that big. When he didn't answer his cell, she called Liv and found he hadn't been there. She called Stan's and Stan confirmed that Booth was there and was enjoying himself playing pool. Brennan's eyes widen. "Did you say play…playing pool?"

"Yeah, he is knocking them dead. You want to talk to him."

"No, I am on my way, don't tell him I am coming. Mrs. Tipton, I will be back in a bit, I need to run down to Stan's. Did you happen to find my keys to my car by chance before you sealed up that room?"

After retrieving her keys from Mrs. Tipton, she headed for Stan's. She couldn't believe he had lapsed on that, he was done so well. He told her about his gambling problem and one part of that problem was hustling pool.

* * *

><p>She parked at the end of the building got out and took a deep breath as she approached the door to the bar. Gripping the handle, she closed her eyes and slowly pulled it open. She only opened it enough to allow her frame to slip through. No one said anything as she stepped through the door, almost like they knew she did not want to be seen. He hadn't seen her slowly allowing the door to close against her hand.<p>

She made her way towards the bar, keeping her eye on Booth, she didn't see any tell tale signs that he was gambling; just that he was playing pool. As she slid onto a stool he turned to take a drink of his beer and he saw her. His face showed surprise "Bones"

"Booth"

He glanced at his watch, "Wow, I lost track of time."

"Mhm"

"I am in trouble, huh?"

"Depends"

"Depends on what?" She looked at the pool table and then at him raising her eyebrows. "Bones, I am just playing pool." Her eyes stayed on his. "I mean not like that, just… Bones, I got that under control." She nodded a slow deliberate nod.

He walked over to her, leaning on the bar facing her. "Bones, I can play pool without betting on it. You believe that don't you?" She searched his eyes and saw no deception in them, along with no tell tale sign of bets that normally would be placed on the side of the table.

"I don't know Agent Booth, you know I only base my conclusions on facts. So why don't you give me some facts and we will go from there." Her eyes were sparkling with mischief. "Oh, and bribes might work also."

He moved closer to her. "So let me get this straight Dr. Brennan, you are asking a federal law enforcement official to bribe you?"

"Actually, Yes. Blackmailing you several years ago worked well, so this should have an equally good outcome."

"Oh, I see. So Dr. Brennan have you given any thought to what kind of bribe I could offer you that would be so appealing."

"Yes, I have thought of that." She smiled sweetly at him as she moved close enough he could feel her breath against his lips. You can bribe me with….food. I am starving, I want real food, and I want your French fries."

He pushed his fries further out of her reach. "My French fries, why don't you order your own?"

"Because, yours taste better."

"They are the same fries, how do mine taste better?"

"Because they aren't mine."

"Bones that makes no sense."

"It does to me."

All he could do was laugh, nothing that ever made sense to her would make sense to others, so he had to accept her logic or lack there of as some sort of proof that he had lost this battle. "So we need to call your doctor tomorrow and see if we start you on solid foods. Maybe I will have him start you on strained peas or something equally disgusting." He picked up on of his French fries and popped it in his mouth.

"Seeley Joseph Booth, you are just mean. I am leaving now and you can think of ways to make up to me." She threw Stan a smirk and left the bar. She was going to make Booth suffer, but only a little. Booth watched her go, knowing she wasn't really mad at him; she would look back and give him that eye roll. But, she didn't look back, was he really in trouble. No, Bones wasn't really mad at him, she couldn't be mad over that, could she?

Brennan got back to the motel and changed into a soft camisole and matching panties. It was a warm night and having the light material against her skin felt nice. Plus, it would drive Booth mad. She looked at herself in the mirror, smiled approvingly. She lifted the camisole just enough to expose where her gunshot was, the area immediately around the wound was still very sore and stiff and aside from getting tired easily she felt fine. Thoughts of how to make Agent Booth squirm danced through her head.


	22. Chapter 22

Booth stood there looking at the bar door slowly closing against the springs. He turned and looked at Stan. "She isn't really mad is she?" Stan held up his hands, he wasn't getting in the middle of this. "Come on, she couldn't be mad at that could she?"

Carmen, a regular, 5'9" and all Italian was the one to speak up. She called them like she saw them and never sugar coated anything. "Hey, Agent Booth, Tempe is female, she can get mad at anything she wants to get mad at and guess what? There isn't anything you can do about it but grovel."

"I don't grovel, and Bones wouldn't do that?"

"Before you weren't her boyfriend and you are now. You are on a whole new playing surface."

Booth thought about this, women did change once in a relationship, well not all but some. No, Bones is bones she wouldn't change and do that female thing. Not his Bones.

Carmen watched him and chuckled. "Agent Booth are you going to contemplate the universe or are you going to pay the fiddler?"

The whole bar broke out in laughter. Stan pointed to the door, "you might want to head home to the little woman."

"Bones doesn't control me, she…I…do..as I please." He was leaning backwards on the bar on his elbows, trying to look all Alpha male, rather than like a scared puppy. "I please to go now. See you all later." He hurried to the door.

As Booth pulled in, all the lights were out inside the room. _Maybe she was just tired and was resting. _He entered the room and she had left the bathroom light on with the door cracked so he could see. He saw her form under the covers. He careful shut the door and locked it and shed his clothing to his boxers.

He slipped in between the covers and started to move close to her, she moved away. "Bones?"

"Did you bring me a bribe?"

"Babe, I can't bring you food until a doctor says you can have food."

"Agent Booth, being a doctor of sorts and a genius by your own admission, I do not feel that solid foods would harm me in anyway at this point in my recovery. However, starving me with broth could."

"Dr. Brennan, you are an impossible woman."

She rolled to her back and turned her head towards him. "I want real food, I want French fries." She took his hand and guided it to her thigh. She then lifted her smoldering eyes to him and slowly guided his hand upwards over her hip, over her taunt abdominal muscles to her rib cage. He could feel the silky fabric of the camisole under his hand. She held his hand firmly in place while she watched the color drain from his face and him swallow hard.

"Bones, Umm..you…"

"I want food Booth, I want fries. You want to explore more, get me fries."

"I take it back Bones, you are not impossible, you are evil with a capital "E" and cruel."

She rolled into him. "No Agent Booth, not evil, not cruel. I just know what I want." She slid her hand across his stomach causing his whole body to tighten at her touch. "Right now I want food. And I think I know what you want and I will use your want to my advantage."

He covered his head with his pillow. "Evil woman, evil, evil, evil."

"Now Booth, I am only negotiating. Bartering if you will."

Booth put the pillow back under his head and growled at Brennan. He reached for his cell and called Stan's.

"I don't care if you are closing, I need some fries and I need some fries now Stan." Booth had gotten up and was pacing the room. He glanced once at her and then walked in the bathroom and shut the door. She moved to the door to listen. "Stan, you know women, you know how they are. She is torturing me, you know what they do and she is doing that and I really need some fries now." Stan was laughing, but he was also fixing some fries for Booth to pick up.

Booth jerked open the bathroom door to Brennan standing there with a sweet smile on her face, one strap to her camisole off her shoulder. Booth let his eyes slowly roam down her body and back up. "Evil Woman" he mumbled as he put on his jeans and a button up shirt that he didn't bother to button it up. He went out the door, leaving her standing in the middle of the room smiling after him.

When he returned from Stan's French fries in hand, he climbed into bed next to Brennan, opened the sack and offered her the fries. She grinned up at him, took the sack and sat it on the night stand. He looked at her confused. "Bones, I thought you wanted fries."

"Nah, not really, I wanted dessert, but you know I couldn't just let you have dessert after what you did down at Stan's. You had to earn it." Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at him.

"Babe, what about your side?"

"We will just be extra careful. We have waited so long for this and I know it won't be what I have imagined because I have a hole in my side, but I think it will still be special."

She slowly moved next to him, bringing her lips to his, kissing his lips, then his jaw, his neck, and then she slowly unbuttoned the buttons of his shirt. Sliding his shirt off his torso, she looked up at him as she placed a light kiss on this stomach. She laced her fingers in his and kissed her way back up his body. Resting her weight on him, she looked into his eyes. "I can say I love you, but now I want to show you." When their bodies came together, they were transported to their special place, a place in the universe where two people become one.

Brennan awoke first and she propped her chin on his chest watching him sleep. She was wondering why it took her so long to acknowledge her feelings for him. Then last night sealed the deal. They were where they belonged. He stirred and she just smiled as she watched the corners of his mouth twitch.

He opened his eyes and immediately sought hers out. "Hey baby, how did you sleep?"

"I slept good." She let her eyes roam his face as if she was imprinting it on her mind, every detail, ever twitch or movement. "I love you Booth."

"Mmm, love you too Bones." The corners of his mouth turned up as he leaned in to kiss her. "I have some places I want to show you today. Possible houses, but most have been vacant awhile and will need quite a bit of work."

"Come shower with me and then we can go eat and look." She winked at him as she slid out from under the covers and into her robe. Stopping at the bathroom door, she looked back over her shoulder at him and dropped the robe as she disappeared through the door.

* * *

><p>After their shower, Brennan called her doctor in DC and got permission to eat real food, and then they ate breakfast at Liv's. Booth was thankful she got permission otherwise he was worried that she might make him drink broth with her.<p>

After breakfast and an hour of catching up with Liv, Brennan and Booth were heading off to look at the houses Booth had found. The first 3 were cute, but were too small, the 4th was beyond help. But the next one that sat about 12 miles out of the small town on 15 acres of property seemed to call to Brennan.

It was early 1900's style farmhouse typical 2 story rectangular style with a covered porch that spanned the front of the house. A wood shed sat to the back and little to the left of the kitchen area of the house, making it convenient to pack wood in.

Brennan noticed immediately from the outside that the covered porch had to be replaced it was sagging and weakened in spots. However, the main bones of the house held strong. This house had been built with love and built to endure the test of time. She didn't need to see anymore, this was the one. "This one Booth, this is the house I want for us." Booth watched her silently, he had seen her eyes light up the second they pulled past the overgrown hedge where she could see the house. He had felt the same about the house when he saw it, but he never said a word. "Booth?"

"Yeah."

"Is this house okay, I never asked and since you are a part…."

"Bones, this house is perfect, same one I picked out, just was waiting to see if you chose it also."

She smiled at him "Booth, don't call me baby."

He smiled as she turned for the SUV "Okay babe."

"Booth!"

As they drove back to town they also talked about the old school house. There were signs that the town was slowly trying to refurbish it. Brennan wanted to help with that without stepping on anyone's toes. Booth promised he would do some checking around while she was back in DC getting checked by the doctor and handling any paperwork she needed to handle to buy her house and start renovations.

Booth was checking with Stan, since he seemed to know everything that went on in the small town and found just as him and Brennan suspected that the town worked on the old school house when they could. Lately it had been a losing battle as lack of money and supplies they were at an impasse. Stan also relayed that no one would be upset if Tempe had the school house refurbished.

Booths cell rang while he was talking to Stan. "Oh, look there, speaking of my better half."

"Hello Beautiful"

"Hi, Booth, we need to hire someone to oversee the work on both properties when we are working and I want to hire local people to actually do the work, rather than bringing in outsiders. What do you think?"

"Honey, it is up to you, but I think it would be good for the area to have the work done locally."

"Booth, can you hire Charlie to oversee everything?"

"Bones, you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes, is there a reason I shouldn't?"

"Bones, he is very nice, but he is very young and doesn't have a lot of experience."

"We can discuss that when I get back. Doctor has checked me and unless there are problems I don't need to come back in. I am on my way back and should be there in a couple of hours."

"Love you baby, see you when you get here."

"Don't call me baby."

"Love you babe." Booth hung up the phone grinning.


	23. Chapter 23

After they got everything moving on refurbishing their house they headed back to DC, back to work, and back to their lives. Only this time they would face the same obstacles as a couple.

Booth had convinced Brennan to stay at his place since all her items were still in boxes. They had planned on getting her unpacked, however, two months later her stuff was still in boxes in her apartment and she had filled a void that had been in Booth apartment from the day he meant her.

One morning as Brennan stepped out of the shower, she could smell breakfast from the kitchen. As she wrapped her hair in a towel she thought, it might be time to consider giving up one of their places. She pulled on a pair of panties and Booths blue button up shirt, only buttoning a couple of middle buttons to keep it in place. She headed for the kitchen to talk to Booth about the apartments.

As she stood in the threshold to the kitchen, she watched his muscles move across his back with every movement of his body. He turned to find her leaning against the wall.

"Bones, damn don't do that?"

"I am sorry; I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, no not that" he motioned up and down at her "That."

"I do not understand."

"Bones do you realize what you do to me standing there in my shirt?"

"I am sorry, I thought you enjoyed when I wore your shirts?"

Booth chuckled at her. "Oh, honey, I do, you look so much better in them than I do, but you make it very difficult for me to think when I see you like that." He put his arms around her waist and kissed her. "In fact Dr. Sexy, I think you will be late to work." He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Booth, you are being barbaric."

Laughing, Just marking my territory."

"Marking your territory? Booth !"

"Bones, I can guarantee you won't mind." He said as he lowered her to the bed.

Brennan had totally forgot to talk to Booth about the apartments and as she lay there wrapped up safely in his arms, it didn't even seem worthy of thought. She had never been happier in her life.

They were only an hour late. As Brennan walked into the Jeffersonian Angela ran over and slipped her arm through Brennan's. "Hi Sweetie, so did you alarm clock not work this morning?"

"No, Angela my alarm clock worked fine."

"So, maybe you biological clock was too loud."

"I don't know what that means."

"Sweetie, did you and Agent Studly, you know?"

"No I don't know and Booth and I were just running late, we were discussing what to do with my apartment." Brennan had not told anyone about the house her and Booth were having refurbished, she wanted that to be a surprise.

"So this is getting serious."

"Angela, it has always been serious, I do no know why that surprises you?"

"It doesn't, but don't seem as excited about it as everyone else does."

"Is that wrong?"

"Not for you Bren, as long as you are happy that is all that matters."


	24. Chapter 24

Thursday morning Brennan's cell rang. She moaned as she wiggled her body further on top of Booth's reaching for her cell on the night stand.

"Brennan"

"Tempe, it is Charlie. The house is done."

"Hmm, that is nice."

"Tempe? Did I wake you up?"

"Charlie," it was Booth's voice. "She is not quite awake, what's up?" Booth laid there with Brennan sprawled on top of him; he stroked her hair while he talked with Charlie.

"The house is finished."

"Finished, as in we can move in finished?"

"Yes Sir and Tempe's publicist helped with decorating, but said there were some rooms that had to be left for just you and Tempe to handle."

"Okay, will mention that to Bones. We will be out there tomorrow for sure, if possible maybe later today. I will call you back and let you know." Booth laid her phone back on the night stand.

He wrapped his arms around her, she had been tired a lot lately, almost to the verge of exhaustion, but there was no reason for her to feel this way.

"Hey Baby, time to wake up, we need to get to work and you need to see if you can get in to see your doctor." She just looked at him; she was too tired to argue. "By the way, the house is finished; you want to go out tonight or tomorrow to see it?"

"Let me see when I can get into see the doctor and we can decide from there." He smiled at her while he headed for the kitchen.

Brennan got ready for work, called her doctor and as luck would have it, they had just had a cancellation and doctor could see her in 15 minutes. She was hoping on the floor while trying to get her shoe on. "Booth."

"Yeah"

"I can get into the doctor if I leave now." She held onto his arm as she put her other shoe on and she kissed him.

"Bones, I will drive you." He reached over and turned off the stove

"But, breakfast."

"I will grab us something while you are with the doctor. I would prefer to drive you Okay?" In Booth's way he made a question a statement that left no room for argument.

Booth dropped her off and headed out for muffins and coffee. When he came back she was sitting in the waiting room and he went in and joined her. Handing her a coffee and a muffin he watched her. She was staring straight ahead, never saying a word.

He sat down next to her and leaned towards her "Bones?" She turned her eyes to him, she looked scared. "Hey, you okay?"

"The doctor wants to talk to both of us. I was waiting for you to get back."

"Both of us, Bones, is everything okay?"

"Yes..No..Yes..Maybe"

"Bones, you know you can tell my anything." He swallowed hard, he was afraid they were going to tell him she was dying.

"Booth, I'm, I..I am…."

"So is this the father?" Dr. Milford blurted out as she came across the room to greet Booth. Booth looked at the doctor and then at Brennan, her blue eyes were begging. The doctor realized at the sight of shock on Booths face she had not given Brennan enough time to break the news.

Booth eyes were in shock and he stared at Brennan "Father?" She nodded.

"You are having a baby?"

"Yes and you are the father." Now why did she have to say that? Of course he was the father.

A slow smile crept across his face, tears came to his eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off her. "I am going to be a father? We are having a baby? You and me, a baby?" He cupped her face in his hands and he kissed her so gently. "I love you baby." Then he leaned down to her stomach "And I love you too."

She smiled at him. "Let's see our baby." The grin he gave her back could have lit the city for days.

She was 10 weeks pregnant; the fetus would be just barely over an inch long and less than a quarter of an ounce. But even at 10 weeks you could see a baby, the head, the arm and hands, the beginning of feet. Booth starred at the screen and then at Brennan's stomach and back to the screen. "That's our baby, Bones." Tears were threatening to fall as he starred at his baby on that screen and listening to the heartbeat, the heart beat of their child.

* * *

><p>Brennan was quiet on the drive to the country. Booth looked over at her a couple of times.<p>

"Bones, talk to me?"

"Hmm"

"You are quiet and thinking and when you think you usually over think everything."

"We are having a baby. I know you will be an excellent father, but I don't know about me being a mother."

"Bones, you are going to be a fantastic mother. You judge yourself to harshly, take my word for it from someone on the outside looking in, you will be a fantastic mother." She smiled at him and his confidence.

"Booth, I know if I wasn't the way I am, you would want to get married."

He took a deep breath. "Yes, I would, but Babe, you don't believe in marriage and I have always known that and I accepted that. Bones, I love you, with or without marriage."

"We have two baby rooms to fix up, one in town and one out here. I get at least one of them. I want to put the crib together and paint and do all that stuff. The other is all yours." She smiled at him, she had not even thought of the baby's room, much less the fact they needed two of them.

"Booth, where are we going to live? I mean in DC, we have never discussed it. We stay at your place, but it is actually too small for all of us. We need to either move to my place or sell my place and find us a house or a town house, or…"

Booth pulled the SUV over "Bones, stop, look at me." She turned her eyes towards him. "We don't have to do it today, we have a little time." She started to protest and he raised and eyebrow at him. "Babe, do you trust me?" She nodded, "Have I let you down?" she shook her head. "Trust me now, it will be fine. Okay?" He put his hand on her cheek and she covered his hand with hers and nodded.


	25. Chapter 25

Booth had called Charlie when they were about an hour out and let him know. Brennan was asleep. Booth was still worried about how fast she could fall asleep, but the doctor had not seemed concerned and hopefully the vitamins and making her eat when more often should help.

As they turned onto the narrow road leading to their home, Booth touched Brennan's arm. "Hey time to wake up, we are almost there." She opened her eyes and smiled at him. As they turned into the drive they looked at the once overgrown hedges and how they were now trimmed back neatly, you could even see the top of the house peeking over them. The arched wrought iron gate had been cleaned up and it framed the driveway where it cut through the hedges. As the house came into view, Both Brennan's and Booth's jaw dropped noticeable. You would never know this house was built in the 1900's, the care at which it was refurbished and renovated was evident.

As they exited the SUV Charlie came out the front door to greet them. He was both excited and nervous, Tempe had placed her trust in him to make this a home for her family and he hoped he had met her expectations.

Brennan stood there looking at the front of her house, the fresh white paint and the light green trim on the windows seemed so inviting. Booth came to stand beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Wow doesn't seem like the same house, does it?"

"No it doesn't Booth."

"Are you two ready to go explore the rest and tell me what you think?" Charlie was standing on the porch near a porch swing.

Tempe looked at the swing "I don't remember a swing on the porch."

"That is because there wasn't one and when we built the porch, it was missing something, so I built a swing."

"Nice Touch Charlie." Booth gave him an approving nod.

As they approached the front door, Booths hand on Brennan's arm stopped her. "Since I may never get to do this, would you allow me to carry you over the thresh hole?" She was going to protest, but when she turned and looked into his eyes, she knew it was a small thing she could do for him. She smiled and nodded. He picked her up, carried her through the door, gently kissed her and sat her down. "Welcome home Sweetheart."

The house was decorated beautifully. As they entered to the right was a formal living room, more for entertaining. It had been decorated for more of an office feel with books and 2 hidden desks build into the bookshelves. To the left was the formal dining room. Top half of the wall was a deep burgundy and the bottom was rich wood paneling. The main bay window cast enough light the room was not dark, even with the dark colors. The table was a deep mahogany and there was a china cabinet against the back wall. From the front door you could go straight back to the kitchen/great room area or you could go up the stairs. There was also a doorway leading from the main dining room to the kitchen. A wall had been removed near the kitchen to a family room area. This area had a more modern feel to it and they had even thought of Booth and got him a very large flat screen TV and mounted it on the wall opposite the kitchen. Up closer to the TV's were two lazy boy recliners that Booth spied only seconds after he discovered the TV. There were 2 couches facing each other with a long rectangular coffee table between them. The whole back wall was lined with windows to look out over their property.

The kitchen itself held what Charlie hoped would be something Brennan would prize like he did. The stove looked vintage late 1800's, early 1900's, but was modern. The refrigerator looked like an old ice box, however, was modern and energy efficient. Brennan was totally amazed at what Charlie had done in her kitchen. There was a breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the family room, but still allowed interaction.

Tempe turned to Charlie and said you have done an amazing job. He smiled at her. "You need to see the rest. I managed to give you a master bath upstairs but had to sacrifice one bedroom, so you now have 3 bedrooms rather than 4 and there is a half bath down here in the hall, so you don't have to keep going up and down the stairs all day. I also made you a garden area outside. I know you are vegetarian and I thought that might be something you would enjoy when you are here and there are a couple of kids down the road that will take care of it in exchange for some vegetables."

Tempe hugged Charlie, "you did so much more than I asked for. Thank you. But, I need one more favor from you?"

"Anything Tempe, I need a bedroom turned into a nursery." Charlie just starred at her. "Charlie?"

"You mean, you..Oh Wow Tempe Congratulations.

"Charlie don't say anything yet. Okay? I had to tell you because I am going to need a nursery."

"You have my word Tempe, I won't say anything."

"Thank you Charlie."

After saying good night to Charlie, Booth and Brennan made their way up to their room. They had not even looked while Charlie was there and when they opened the door. Brennan stopped breathing. The room was on the front side of the house. The walls were beige with a dark brown trim. There sat a Richard the IV 4 poster king-size bed. The bedspread was gold satin that shimmered against the dark wood of the bed. The sheets were Egyptian cotton and were a deep brown in color. Multiple pillows lined the back of the bed, gold satin mixed with the brown of the sheets. On the far wall between the windows was a solid wood dresser with a mirror attached to it, same dark wood at the bed. Across from the bed was another smaller TV for Booths enjoyment and on the night stands next to the bed a remote for him.

The bathroom was very large; it was once an extra room. They entered into large walk in closet his and her sides and as they continued through another door into the bathroom itself. On the inside wall was a large claw foot bathtub, the kind you could sink up to your neck in. Just past the tub was a shower, with duel shower heads. Booth looked at that and grin suggestively at Brennan. The toilet was separated into it own little room on the far side of the bathroom. The window in the bathroom had been etched for privacy but still allowed a large amount of light into the room. Just below the window was storage for towels and wash clothes. To the left of the window back towards the closet were duel sinks and large mirror running the length of it counter.

"Charlie out did himself Bones."

"I know, he did a fantastic job."

"Booth, I told him I needed a nursery." Booth nodded "We might not have the time out here, but if you wanted to do this one."

He wrapped his arms around her, "No I will do the one in town, which just gives me incentive to figure out where we are going to live."

He carried her to bed and after they curled up under the blankets, he kissed her. "I think we did it Bones. We found our way home."


End file.
